There was a significant increase in the number of days lost due to industrial disputes in the third quarter of this year, new data from Central Statistics Office showed today.
Over the three-month period, 66,887 days were lost because of disputes, compared to 578 in the same period in 2008. More than 11,000 workers were involved in the action, compared with 34 in the third quarter a year earlier.
Disputes involving five firms in the industry sector accounted for the loss of 59,526 days. A single dispute in the transport sector involving 50 workers was responsible for the loss of 3,214 days.
Eleven industrial disputes began in the quarter of 2009, with two carried over from the second quarter.
In the first nine months of the year, more than 25,000 workers were involved in 20 disputes, leading to a total loss of 81,530 days. Seventy-five per cent of this took place in the industry sector, with 10,768 workers losing a total of 61,028 days.
More than 11,000 days were lost due to disputes in the public administration and defence and compulsory social security sector.
In contrast, only 291 workers were involved in industrial action that resulted in the loss of 2,782 days in the first nine months of last year.
