Last year was the best for industrial peace in more than three decades, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office.
Just over 21,000 days were lost to industrial disputes in 2002, a dramatic reduction from the previous year and the lowest since 1970.
Nearly half the days lost were in the manufacturing sector, while about a quarter were in health and social work.
The figures, based on information from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and other sources, show there were 27 industrial disputes last year, affecting 3,553 workers and 43 firms.
The number of days lost, 21,257, was a sharp fall from the 114,613 days lost in 2001.
Even allowing for the impact of the teachers' dispute in 2001, the number of days last last year remained "significantly less", according to the CSO.
Almost 9,000 days were lost in manufacturing, 5,465 in health and social work, 2,958 in transport, storage and communications and 973 in public administration and defence.
Just 12 days were lost, in a single dispute, in the construction sector.
The Construction Industry Federation, meanwhile, yesterday became the latest group to endorse the new social partnership programme, Sustaining Progress.
It said the agreement contained "a strong commitment to providing a high level of investment in physical and social infrastructure. The proposals in the agreement for a more co-ordinated approach to the planning and financing of capital projects will help eliminate the 'stop-go' approach which has characterised capital spending in the past."
It added, however, that all parties would have to comply fully with the agreement to ensure it delivered industrial peace. "There should be no tolerance of wildcat strikes and unofficial pickets."
The federation also welcomed "the openness" in the agreement to new funding arrangements for major infrastructural projects.
It promised to be "an active partner" in delivering the programme's target of 10,000 affordable houses.