Wednesday, February 28, 2007

[IWS] EWCO: TEAMWORK & HIGH PERFORMANCE WORK ORGANISATION [31 January 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO)
COMPARATIVE STUDY

Teamwork and high performance work organisation [31 January 2007]
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/TN0507TR01.htm
or
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/TN0507TR01.pdf
[full-text, 59 pages]

This report provides a comparative overview of teamwork, based on the European Working Conditions Surveys and 16 national contributions to a questionnaire. It considers how teamwork has developed as a new form of work organisation and takes into account the context at national and company level. The study assesses the positive and negative influence of teamwork on diverse aspects of working conditions, such as job autonomy, job satisfaction, work intensity, productivity and the learning environment. It also investigates the prevalence of teamwork according to various factors including sex, sector and occupation. The national contributions from the following 16 countries are available (as PDF files):

< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/AT0507TR01.pdf > Austria
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/BG0507TR01.pdf > Bulgaria
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/CZ0507TR01.pdf > Czech Republic
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/DK0507TR01.pdf > Denmark
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/EE0507TR01.pdf > Estonia
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/FI0507TR01.pdf > Finland
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/FR0507TR01.pdf > France
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/DE0507TR01.pdf > Germany
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/HU0507TR01.pdf > Hungary
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/IT0507TR01.pdf > Italy
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/NL0507TR01.pdf > Netherlands
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/PT0507TR01.pdf > Poprtugal
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/RO0507TR01.pdf > Romania
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/ES0507TR01.pdf > Spain
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/SE0507TR01.pdf > Sweden
< http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0507TR01/UK0507TR01.pdf > United Kingdom

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


Tuesday, February 27, 2007

[IWS] EMCC: COMPETENCE & QUALIFICATIONS & WORKFORCE MOBILITY [16 February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC)

The role of competence and qualification development in fostering workforce mobility [16 February 2007]
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emcc/content/source/eu07001a.html?p1=reports&p2=null

In a seminar organised for members of its Company Network, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions discussed the role of competence and qualification development in fostering workforce mobility. The seminar was held in Thessaloniki on 9-10 November 2006, and was organised by the European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC) in cooperation with the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). The introductory presentations summarised the policy context and the results of recent research on mobility in Europe. The second part of the seminar highlighted initiatives undertaken at European and national level aimed at promoting the transparency and recognitions of qualifications of employees. The final session discussed the implications of these policy objectives for employers and employees. Four companies ­ Electricité de France Group (France), the Bank of Cyprus (Cyprus), Telefónica S.A (Spain) and Neorion Syros Shipyards (Greece) ­ presented their approach to the competence development and mobility of their employees.  [CASE STUDIES]

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] EIRO: SOCIAL PARTNERS & SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM [20 February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) Online

Social partners and the social security system [20 February 2007]
February 2007
http://eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2005/10/study/index.html
or
http://eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2005/09/study/tn0509103s.html

Abstract:
The unemployment benefit systems were established at quite different times in the various European countries. In the new Member States, these systems are a fairly recent phenomenon. In some countries, the role of employees and employers in the system has remained of major importance, while in others this function has partly or fully been taken over by the state. This comparative study examines the different forms of unemployment benefit systems, the degree of social partner involvement in various countries, and the consequences of these forms of involvement. The study covers 13 of the 15 'old' EU Member States except Portugal and Luxembourg, as well as a sample of the new Member States ­ Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia ­ and also includes Norway.

Includes numerous TABLES....
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


Monday, February 26, 2007

[IWS] CRS: TPA/Fast-Track Renewal: LABOR ISSUES [2 February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RL33864

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)/Fast-Track Renewal: Labor Issues [2 February 2007]
February 2, 2007
Mary Jane Bolle, Specialist in International Trade, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33864_20070202.pdf
[full-text, 22 pages]

Summary
Trade promotion authority (TPA), formerly known as "fast-track" authority, is
scheduled to expire July 1, 2007. With it will expire the authority: (a) that Congress
grants the President to enter into certain trade agreements, and (b) for Congress to
consider the agreements' implementing legislation under expedited procedures.
Currently, the Administration is negotiating a number of trade agreements that may
not be completed before the current TPA is set to expire. If these activities are to
continue, TPA/fast-track renewal may be a central issue in the 110th Congress. Within
the debate, a major issue is expected to be whether to include as a principal
negotiating objective in trade agreements, "enforceable core labor standards."
Two TPA/fast-track authorities have incorporated labor provisions. The first,
the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (OTCA), which expired in
1994, included the broad, general objective: "to promote worker rights." The North
American Free Trade Agreement, with its labor side agreement, was negotiated under
OTCA. The second and current TPA/fast-track authority with labor provisions, the
Trade Act of 2002, includes protections for labor, modified by protections for country
governments, businesses and investors. Seven free trade agreements (FTAs) — with
Chile, Singapore, Australia, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman, and the Dominican Republic
and Central America — were negotiated under this authority. All have only one
enforceable labor requirement: that each country not fail to enforce its own labor
laws in a manner affecting trade between the parties. (In contrast to this, the
U.S.-Jordan FTA, negotiated in 2000 and approved in 2001 without TPA/fast track
authority, includes enforceable labor provisions.)

Major options for labor provisions in renewed TPA focus on whether principal
negotiating objectives should include "enforceable core labor standards." Supporters
argue that including these could help: (1) slow the offshoring of certain U.S. jobs; (2)
protect foreign workers against exploitative corporate behavior; (3) support the
ability of workers to share in the gains from international trade; and (4) fend off an
international "race to the bottom" based on labor costs. Opponents argue that: (1)
core labor standards should be promoted by the International Labor Organization, not
by trade agreements; (2) as countries develop, they adopt higher labor standards on
their own; (3) stronger worker protections could discourage international investment;
and (4) labor standards are disguised protectionism. History shows that with or
without FTAs, trade will likely continue to grow.

This report examines issues relating to TPA/fast-track labor provisions in the
larger context of global labor issues. It: (1) identifies the players and their positions;
(2) tracks the enforceable labor provisions in TPA/fast-track laws and the FTAs
negotiated under them; (3) presents some legislative options for new TPA/fast-track
labor provisions; and (4) sets out arguments for and against enforceable core labor
standards. Finally, it looks at possible outcomes and implications of the various
legislative options. This report will be updated as events warrant.


Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Which Set of Core Labor Standards? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Who Cares About Enforceable Core Labor Standards, and Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Labor Advocates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Business Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Developing Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
U.S. Executive Branch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Key Labor Provisions in TPA/Fast-Track Laws and in Trade Agreements Negotiated Under Them .. . . . . 5
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988: NAFTA . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
No TPA/Fast-Track Law: The Jordan Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002: Seven Trade Agreements . . . . . . . . 6
Legislative Options for TPA/Fast-Track Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 1: No TPA/Fast-Track Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 2: TPA/Fast-Track Renewal with No Enforceable Labor Provisions . . . . . . . . . 8
Option 3: TPA/Fast-Track Labor Provisions Similar to Those Under the Expiring Authority . . . .. . . . 9
Option 4: TPA/Fast-Track Labor Provisions Setting out Enforceable Core Labor Provisions as Principal Negotiating Objectives . . . . . . . . . 9
The 2001 Rangel Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Arguments For and Against Enforceable Core Labor Standards as a Principal Negotiating Objective . .. . . 10
General Arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Arguments Related to U.S. Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Arguments Related to Foreign Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sovereignty Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Arguments on the Definition of Core Labor Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Possible Outcomes and implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

List of Figures
Figure 1. TPA/Fast-Track Laws and Their Labor Provisions, and FTAs and Their Enforceable Labor Provisions, 1974-2007 .. . . . . . . 8

List of Tables
Appendix Table 1. Worker Rights Provisions in TPA/Fast-Track Authority, 1974-2007 . .. . . . 16
Appendix Table 2. Key Labor Provisions in FTAs Negotiated Under Various TPA/Fast-Track Laws .  . . . 17
Appendix Table 3. Enforceable Labor Provisions Included in H.R. 3019 (Rangel, 107th Congress) . . . . . . 18
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- 8 MARCH 2007

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- 8 MARCH 2007
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

[as of 26 February 2007]
256 websites currently linking to the IWD 2007 site ...
222 IWD 2007 events currently listed from 19 different countries ...

[excerpts]
2007 IWD EVENTS
Each year on 8 March, thousands of International Women's Day events occur all around the world from Alaska to Zambia. IWD events range from small random informal gatherings to large-scale highly organised events that have been planned throughout the previous year.


ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] NBER: CHILD LABOR [February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Child Labor
http://papers.nber.org/papers/w12926.pdf
[full-text, 102 pages]
Eric V. Edmonds
NBER Working Paper No. 12926
Issued in February 2007
---- Abstract -----
http://papers.nber.org/papers/w12926

In recent years, there has been an astonishing proliferation of empirical work on child labor. An Econlit search of keywords "child lab*r" reveals a total of 6 peer reviewed journal articles between 1980 and 1990, 65 between 1990 and 2000, and 143 in the first five years of the present decade. The purpose of this essay is to provide a detailed overview of the state of the recent empirical literature on why and how children work as well as the consequences of that work. Section 1 defines terms commonly used in the study of child time allocation and provides a descriptive overview of how children spend their time in low income countries today. Section 2 reviews the case for attention to the most common types of work in which children participate, focusing on that work's impact on schooling, health, as well as externalities associated with that work. Section 3 considers the literature on the determinants of child time allocation such as the influence of local labor markets, family interactions, the net return to schooling, and poverty. Section 5 discusses the limited evidence on different policy options aimed at influencing child labor. Section 6 concludes by emphasizing important research questions requiring additional research such as child and parental agency, the effectiveness of child labor policies, and the determinants of participation in the "worst forms" of child labor.

Table of Contents
1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 2
2. What is Child Labor? ............................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Terminology........................................................................................................................ 7
Market and domestic work...................................................................................................... 7
Child labor .............................................................................................................................. 8
Worst and hazardous forms of child labor ............................................................................. 9
2.2 Sources of Data.................................................................................................................. 10
Available data ....................................................................................................................... 10
Limitations of household surveys and missing children ....................................................... 11
Idle children .......................................................................................................................... 13
2.3 Background on the Activities of Working Children...................................................... 14
Types of activities.................................................................................................................. 14
Occupation and industry of economically active children.................................................... 16
Gender differences ................................................................................................................ 17
Urban –rural differences ..................................................................................................... 18
Age patterns .......................................................................................................................... 19
Worst forms of child labor .................................................................................................... 20
Are worst forms different? .................................................................................................... 22
3. The Case for Attention to Working Children ...................................................................... 22
3.1 Child Labor in International Policy................................................................................ 22
3.2 Work and Schooling ......................................................................................................... 23
Is schooling attendance lower for working children? .......................................................... 23
Is schooling achievement and attainment lower for working children?............................... 25
Is there a causal relationship between work and schooling achievement and attainment?. 26
Do changes in the price of schooling affect child labor supply?.......................................... 27
Modeling the joint determination of schooling and other time allocation decisions............ 28
Are there future consequences of working?.......................................................................... 29
3.3 Work and Health............................................................................................................... 30
Is the health status of working children worse? ................................................................... 30
Does child labor affect future adult health? ......................................................................... 31
3.4 Child Labor Externalities and General Equilibrium Considerations ......................... 32
Do working children support their siblings? ........................................................................ 32
Does child labor perpetuate across generations? ................................................................ 33
Does child labor promote high fertility? .............................................................................. 34
Does child labor affect local labor markets? ....................................................................... 35
4. Determinants of Child Time Allocation............................................................................... 37
4.1 Local Labor Markets and Child Labor .......................................................................... 38
Production technology .......................................................................................................... 38
Trade .................................................................................................................................... 40
2
4.2 Child Labor and the Family............................................................................................. 42
Who makes child labor decisions?........................................................................................ 42
Parental attitudes towards work and schooling ................................................................... 44
Child and Adult labor supply interactions............................................................................ 46
Does parental co-residence influence child labor? .............................................................. 48
How does sibling composition affect child labor?................................................................ 49
4.3 Child Labor and the (Net) Return to Schooling............................................................. 52
Credit constraints and child labor........................................................................................ 52
Does child labor respond to the return to schooling? .......................................................... 54
School costs and child labor ................................................................................................. 56
4.4 Child labor and Poverty ................................................................................................... 56
The link between child labor and living standards............................................................... 56
The empirical evidence ......................................................................................................... 57
Can the effect of rising incomes differ from that of declining poverty? ............................... 60
Economic shocks, credit constraints, poverty, and child labor ............................................ 61
5. Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 63
5.1 Child Labor Specific Programs ....................................................................................... 63
5.2 Restrictions and Prohibitions on Employment .............................................................. 65
5.3 Trade Sanctions and Labor Standards........................................................................... 67
5.4 Conditional Cash Transfers............................................................................................. 68
6. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 69
Works Cited................................................................................................................................ 71
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT 2007 [12 February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

White House
Council of Economic Advisers

Economic Report of the President: 2007 [12 February 2007]
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/index.html
or
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/2007/2007_erp.pdf
[full-text, 351 pages]


Economic Report of the President: 2007 Report Spreadsheet Tables
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/tables07.html


Economic Report of the President is an annual report written by the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. It overviews the nation's economic progress using text and extensive data appendices. The Economic Report of the President is transmitted to Congress no later than ten days after the submission of the Budget of the United States Government. Supplementary reports can be issued to the Congress which contain additional and/or revised recommendations

C O N T E N T S
ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT..............................................
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS*.....
CHAPTER 1. THE YEAR IN REVIEW AND THE YEARS AHEAD.............
CHAPTER 2. PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH..................................................
CHAPTER 3. PRO-GROWTH TAX POLICY.................................................
CHAPTER 4. THE FISCAL CHALLENGES FACING MEDICARE .............
CHAPTER 5. CATASTROPHE RISK INSURANCE ......................................
CHAPTER 6. THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR: ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE USE.......
CHAPTER 7. CURRENCY MARKETS AND EXCHANGE RATES .............
CHAPTER 8. INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT ................
CHAPTER 9. IMMIGRATION.......................................................................

APPENDIX A. REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS DURING 2006..
APPENDIX B. STATISTICAL TABLES RELATING TO INCOME, EMPLOYMENT, AND PRODUCTION...



Population, Employment, Wages, and Productivity:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/eop/tables07.html#erp2
B-34. Population by age group, 1929-2006
B-35. Civilian population and labor force, 1929-2006
B-36. Civilian employment and unemployment by sex and age, 1959-2006
B-37. Civilian employment by demographic characteristic, 1959-2006
B-38. Unemployment by demographic characteristic, 1959-2006
B-39. Civilian labor force participation rate and employment/population ratio, 1959-2006
B-40. Civilian labor force participation rate by demographic characteristic, 1965-2006
B-41. Civilian employment/population ratio by demographic characteristic, 1965-2006
B-42. Civilian unemployment rate, 1959-2006
B-43. Civilian unemployment rate by demographic characteristic, 1965-2006
B-44. Unemployment by duration and reason, 1959-2006
B-45. Unemployment insurance programs, selected data, 1978-2006
B-46. Employees on nonagricultural payrolls, by major industry, 1959-2006
B-47. Hours and earnings in private nonagricultural industries, 1959-2006
B-48. Employment cost index, private industry, 1990-2006
B-49. Productivity and related data, business sector, 1959-2006
B-50. Changes in productivity and related data, business sector, 1959-2006
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


Friday, February 23, 2007

[IWS] CRS: China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy [14 February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Order Code RL33877

China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
February 14, 2007
Kerry Dumbaugh, Specialist in Asian Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33877_20070214.pdf
[full-text, 35 pages]

Summary
U.S.-China relations have remained remarkably smooth since late 2001,
although there are signs that U.S. policy toward China is now subject to competing
reassessments. State Department officials in 2005 unveiled what they said was a new
policy framework for the relationship — one in which the United States was willing
to work cooperatively with a non-democratic China while encouraging Beijing to
become a "responsible stakeholder" in the global system — and U.S. Treasury
Secretary Henry Paulson in December 2006 established a U.S.-China Strategic
Economic Dialogue with Beijing, the most senior regular dialogue yet held with
China. Other U.S. policymakers appear to have adopted tougher stances on issues
involving China and U.S.-China relations, concerned about the impact of the PRC's
strong economic growth and a more assertive PRC diplomacy in the international
arena. A matter of growing U.S. concern is China's increasing global "reach" and
the consequences that the PRC's expanding international influence has for U.S.
interests. To feed its appetite for resources, China has been steadily signing trade
agreements, oil and gas contracts, scientific cooperation agreements, and multilateral
security arrangements with countries around the world, some of which are key U.S.
allies. Some U.S. observers view these activities as, at best challenges, and at worst,
threats, to the United States.

Taiwan, which China considers a "renegade province," remains the most
sensitive issue the two countries face and the one many observers fear could lead to
Sino-U.S. conflict. But U.S. relations with Taiwan have also been plagued by what
some U.S. officials see as that government's minimal military spending and its
failure to enact funding bills that allow it to purchase U.S. weapons offered for sale
in 2001.

Much U.S. concern about China appears driven by security calculations at the
Pentagon and in Congress. Pentagon officials question the motivations behind
China's expanding military budget. A congressionally mandated DOD report
concluded Beijing is greatly understating its military expenditures and is developing
anti-satellite (ASAT) systems ­ a claim that gained more credence when the PRC
used a ballistic missile to destroy one of its own orbiting satellites in early January
2007. Bilateral economic and trade issues also remain matters of concern, with U.S.
officials and some Members of Congress particularly criticizing China's failure to
halt piracy of U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR) and China's continued
constraints on its currency valuation.

This report will be updated regularly as events warrant and will track legislative
initiatives involving China. The 109th Congress considered these and other issues in
a number of legislative vehicles, including The John Warner National Defense
Authorization Act for FY2007 (P.L. 109-364), and S. 295, a bill to authorize punitive
action if China's currency is not re-evaluated. For actions and issues in U.S.-China
relations during the 109th Congress, see CRS Report RL32804, China-U.S. Relations
in the 109th Congress, by Kerry Dumbaugh.

Contents
Most Recent Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Background and Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Current Issues and Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PRC Anti-Satellite Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Economic and Trade Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Intellectual Property Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Currency Valuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
North Korea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
October 2006 Nuclear Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Six Party Talks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
U.S.-PRC "Senior Dialogue" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
U.S. Taiwan Policy and U.S. Arms Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Corruption Scandals in the Chen Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Changing PRC Political Pressure on Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Taiwan and the World Health Organization (WHO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Official Taiwan-PRC Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
China's Growing Global Reach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
European Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Middle East and Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Western Hemisphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
China and Environmental Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
National Security Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Annual Report on China's Military Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Weapons Proliferation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Military Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Human Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
New Internet and Media Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Religious Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Tibet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Xinjiang's Ethnic Muslims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Family Planning Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Social Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Hong Kong Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
U.S. Policy Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Major Legislation in the 110th Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Chronology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Appendix I: Selected Visits by U.S. and PRC Officials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Appendix II: Selected U.S. Government Reporting Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 31
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************


[IWS] OECD: SOCIETY AT A GLANCE 2006: OECD Social Indicators [23 February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

OECD - Paris, 23 February 2007

New issue of OECD�s Society at a Glance

The latest issue of OECD�s Society at a Glance is now available. This is a compendium of data comparable over time and across countries on issues ranging from income and employment to life expectancy and fertility, public spending on social welfare and health and indicators of �life satisfaction�. Further information on the report can be found at www.oecd.org/els/social/indicators/SAG


Society at a Glance: OECD Social Indicators - 2006 Edition [23 February 2007]
http://www.oecd.org/document/24/0,2340,en_2649_34637_2671576_1_1_1_1,00.html


The complete edition of Society at a Glance 2006 is available from:
Social problems rarely have a single cause. For example, tackling social exclusion involves simultaneously addressing barriers to labour market integration, health problems and low education. Coping with an ageing society requires new approaches to health care and employment, as well as to pensions. Social indicators provide the broad perspective needed for any international comparison and assessment of social trends, outcomes and policies. By linking status and response indicators across a broad range of policy areas, social indicators help readers to identify whether and how the broad thrust of policies and societal actions are addressing the key social issues that confront OECD societies.

Social indicators provide a concise overview of social trends and policies while paying due attention to the different national conditions in which such policies are being pursued. The social indicators in Society at a Glance may be represented along a two-dimensional classification. The first dimension corresponds to three main goals of social policy, i.e. self-sufficiency, equity and social cohesion. The second dimension corresponds to the nature of the indicators, i.e. social context, social status and societal responses.

This edition includes a wide range of information on social issues including demography, family characteristics, employment, working mothers, out-of-work replacement rates, poverty persistence, social expenditure, health care expenditure, subjective well-being and suicides. This report also includes a "guide" to help readers in understanding the structure of OECD social indicators and an attempt to take stock of the role of social indicators for the broader agenda of measuring the well-being of OECD citizens and societies.

Table of contents:
Part I. Indicators Framework and Assessment
   Chapter 1. An Interpretive Guide
   Chapter 2. Measuring Well-Being: What Role for Social Indicators?
Part II. OECD Social Indicators
General Context Indicators: National Income per Capita, Age-Dependency Rates, Fertility Rates, Migration, Marriage and Divorce
Self-Sufficiency Indicators: Employment, Unemployment, Mothers in Paid Employment, Childcare Costs, Tax Wedge on Labour, Out-of-Work Benefits, Students' Performance
Equity Indicators: Material Deprivation, Earnings Inequality, Gender Wage Gaps, Intergenerational Mobility, Public Social Spending, Poverty Persistence, Housing Costs, Old-Age Pension Replacement Rates
Health Indicators: Life Expectancy, Health Care Expenditure, Low Birth Weight, Sick-Related Absences from Work, Long-Term Care Recipients, Health Inequalities
Social Cohesion Indicators: Voting, Prisoners, Suicides, Work Accidents, Trust in Political Institutions, Life Satisfaction.
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] ILR INTERNATIONAL eNEWS, Vol. 1, No. 3 [February 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

ILR School (School of Industrial & Labor Relations) at Cornell University

ILR International Programs is pleased to publish the third issue of ILR International eNews, featuring online highlights of the ILR School's teaching, research, and outreach activities around the world.

ILR International eNews, Vol. 1, No. 3
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/international/news/enews/index.html



Many thanks to Chris Hamilton and Joanne Kenyon for their help launching this issue.

Best,
Robin

ILR International Programs
_______________________________
Robin Remick
Managing Director, International Programs       
ILR School, Cornell University
344 ILR Research Bldg.
Ithaca, NY 14853-3901
T. 607.254.2950
F. 607.255-7774
E. rjr4@cornell.edu
W: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/international/
________________________________

ilr Advancing the world of work

______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] Inter-American Development Bank DATABASES (Research Department)

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Research Department

DATABASES
http://www.iadb.org/RES/pub_List.cfm?pub_topic_id=DBA&type=pub_type&pub_type_id=DBA&pub_type_id1=DBA&language=english

These databases were compiled for research performed in the IDB's Research Department. The origin, description and publication date as well as links to papers based on this data are provided when available.


DBA-001         A Database on Currency Composition of Firm Liabilities in Latin America
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-001
by Kamil, Herman November 2004

This database provides information on the currency and maturity structure of firm liabilities for 10 Latin American Countries. The database builds on a joint project carried out by the research department of the IADB and 6 country teams in 2002. Country average data is available for immediate download in excel format below. Detailed information on the variables, sample and sources are provided in the documentation file. Studies using this data should cite the source as: H. Kamil (2004), 'A new database on the currency composition and maturity structure of firms' balance sheets in Latin America, 1990-2002"

Years covered: 1990-2002



DBA-003         Bank Ownership and performance  
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-003
November 2004

This dataset provides information on bank ownership and bank performance covering 119 countries over the 1995-2002 period.

Years covered: 1995-2002.


DBA-007         CLYPS dataset on public debt level and composition in Latin America
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-007
by Levy Yeyati, Eduardo Sturzenegger, Federico Cowan, Kevin Panizza, Ugo August 2006


Data on level and composition of public debt in Latin America.

Years covered: 1970-2004.


DBA-008         IPES 2006 - The Politics of Policies    
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-008
by Gómez-Peña, Carlos Andrés Lora, Eduardo Mandalaoui, Elisa Carolina Stein, Ernesto H. Clavijo, Laura Tommasi, Mariano
January 2006

The data set contains indicators describing the quality of public policies, as well as the institutions that design, coordinate and implement them, for 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries. A detailed description of the variables, as well as the methodology used to construct them, can be found in the Data Appendix of The Politics of Policies: Economic and Social Progress in Latin America, 2006 Report, at http://www.iadb.org/res/ipes/2006/appendix.cfm?language=Sp&parid=8


DBA-002         Job Flows Dataset
                 
http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-002      
by Kugler, Adriana Micco, Alejandro Pagés-Serra, Carmen Haltiwanger, John Kugler, Maurice August 2004

Este conjunto de datos contiene información sobre los flujos de empleos en seis países de América Latina (Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, México y Uruguay). Estos datos fueron creados como parte del estudio de la Red de Investigación del BID titulado "Market Institutions, Labor Market Dynamics, Growth and Productivity: An Analysis of Latin America and the Caribbean" (Instituciones de mercado, dinámica del mercado laboral, crecimiento y productividad: un análisis de América Latina y el Caribe), coordinado por John Haltiwanger (Universidad de Maryland), Adriana Kuegler (Universidad de Texas en Houston), Maurice Kugler (Universidad de Southampton), Alejandro Micco (BID) y Carmen Pagés (BID)

Years covered: 1978-2001


DBA-004          Political Particularism around the world
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-004
by Panizza, Ugo January 2002


The data set provides indicators of the degree to which individual politicians can further their careers by appealing to narrow geographic constituencies on the one hand, or party constituencies on the other.

Years covered: 1978-2001


DBA-005         Public Debt around the World: A New Dataset of Central Government Debt
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-005      
by Panizza, Ugo March 2006


Commonly used datasets on the level of public debt provide incomplete country and period coverage. This paper presents a new dataset that includes complete series of central government debt for 89 countries over the 1991-2005 period and for seven other countries for the 1993-2005 period.

Years covered: 1991-2005.


DBA-006         Trade Integration and Business Cycle Synchronization
                  http://www.iadb.org/res/pub_desc.cfm?pub_id=DBA-006
by Cowan, Kevin - Levy Yeyati, Eduardo - Panizza, Ugo and Sturzenegger, Federico


Macro bilateral trade data.

Years covered: 1970-2000.
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


[IWS] Migration Policy Institute DATA HUB (Statistics)

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

Migration Policy Institute (MPI)

MPI Data Hub
http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/index.cfm

MPI's new Data Hub gives you instant access to the latest facts, stats, and maps on international migration. Get reliable numbers on immigrants in the United States and Europe, and asylum seekers worldwide with the click of a button. The MPI Data Hub showcases the most current demographic, social and economic characteristics of US immigrants at the state level, as well as stock, flow, citizenship, asylum, and historical data for 17 countries. Use the interactive maps to see where foreign-born groups live in the United States and the countries of origin and destination of migrants globally.


US DATA includes --

2005 ACS/Census Data on the Foreign Born by State (this is new!)

Maps of the Foreign Born in the US

US Historical Trends
        
Who's Where in the United States?


INTERNATIONAL DATA includes --

Country and Comparative Data (formerly Global Data Center)

World Migration Map

Country Resources

Seeking Asylum
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
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[IWS] DOL: CHARTBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR COMPARISONS: THE AMERICAS, ASIA-PACIFIC, EUROPE [January 2007]

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016
-------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL) .... JANUARY 2007

A CHARTBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR COMPARISONS: THE AMERICAS .... ASIA-PACIFIC .... EUROPE
http://www.dol.gov/asp/media/reports/chartbook/chartbook_jan07.pdf
[full-text, 65 pages]

[excerpt]
...this Chartbook of International Labor Comparisons provides a comparative labor market perspective.including employment levels, jobless rates, hours worked, labor costs, and productivity trends.

CONTENTS
Contents| vii
Section 1. Gross Domestic Product Per Capita 1
1.1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, 2005 2
1.2 Average annual growth rates for real GDP per capita, 1995-2005 3

Section 2. Labor Market Indicators 5
2.1 Size of the labor force, 2005 6
2.2 Average annual growth rates for the labor force, 1995-2005 7
2.3 Labor force participation rates by sex, 2005 8
2.4 Labor force participation rates by age, 2005 9
2.5 Employment as a percent of the working-age population, 2005 10
2.6 Average annual growth rates for employment, 1995-2005 11
2.7 Average annual growth rates for full-time and part-time employment, 1995-2005 12
2.8 Annual hours worked per employed person, 1995 and 2005 13
2.9 Unemployment rates, 2005 14
2.10 Youth unemployment rates, 2005 15
2.11 Ratio of youth to adult unemployment rates, 2005 16
2.12 Persons unemployed one year or longer, 2005 17
2.13 Ratio of unemployment rate of persons without high school degrees to that of persons with college or university degrees, 2004 18
2.14 Educational attainment of the adult population, 2004 19

Section 3. Competitiveness Indicators for Manufacturing 21
3.1 Hourly compensation costs, 2005 22
3.2 Average annual growth rates for hourly compensation costs, 1995-2005 23
3.3 Employer social insurance expenditures and other labor taxes as a percent of hourly compensation costs, 2005 24
3.4 Average annual growth rates for manufacturing productivity, 1995-2005 25
3.5 Average annual growth rates for manufacturing output and hours worked, 1995-2005 26
3.6 Average annual growth rates for manufacturing unit labor costs, 1995-2005 27

Section 4. Other Economic Indicators 29
4.1 Public expenditures on labor market programs as a percent of GDP, 2004-05 30
4.2 Measures of regulation on labor and product markets, 2003 31
4.3 Share of labor costs taken by tax and social security contributions, 2005 32
4.4 Dependency ratios, 2005 33
4.5 Trade in goods as a percent of GDP, 2004 34

Section 5. Indicators for Large Emerging Economies 35
5.1 World population distribution, 2005 36
5.2 Age composition of the population, 2004 37
5.3 Dependency ratios, 2004 38
5.4 GDP per capita, 2005 39
5.5 GDP per employed person, 1995 and 2004 40
5.6 Labor force participation rates by sex, 2004 41
5.7 Trade in goods as a percent of GDP, 2004 42

Appendix. Definitions, Sources, and Methods A1
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

****************************************
Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************


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