Number of days lost to industrial disputes rises

The number of days lost to industrial dispute during the second quarter of 2008 rose compared to the same period a year earlier, according to data from the Central Statistics Office.

Some 727 days were lost to the action during the three-month period, with 173 workers involved, compared to 300 days a year earlier. Four disputes began in the second quarter, with one carried on from the previous quarter.

However, it was an improvement from the first quarter of 2008, when some 1,477 days were lost in four industrial disputes invoving 173 workers.  

In the first six months of the year, there were eight disputes underway, with 263 workers involved. This led to a total of 2,204 lost days.

The majority of disputes in the first half of the year were in the manufacturing sector, accounting for 58 per cent of lost days. Transport, storage and communication made up 22 per cent.