Downward trend of strike action disrupting business in last quarter

No working days were lost to industrial action during the three months to the end of September, marking the first time this has happened in a quarterly period since the tail end of last year.

The latest data from the CSO, published yesterday, continues a downward trend of incidents of strike action disrupting businesses.

However, the figure of zero working days lost has not been seen in any quarter since the last three months of 2014.

This quarter has already seen strike action at Irish Rail, but the positive showing in the third quarter followed a disruptive second quarter, when nearly 8,800 working days were lost (albeit down on the preceding three months), concerning 10,100 workers.

The third quarter of last year saw 10,914 days lost and 3,412 workers involved in strike action.

Industrial action at Dunnes Stores and Dublin Bus was the main cause of disruption in the second quarter of this year.

INMO to ballot nurses on strike action over 'persistent overcrowding' https://t.co/jPZw3t8bw7 (GM) pic.twitter.com/4O39pQlOpS

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The first three months of this year saw more than 24,000 days lost, only 9,000 less than for the four years of 2010-2013 combined, as four separate disputes in the education sector, involving nearly 28,000 workers, backed by teachers’ unions ASTI and TUI, carried over from the end of last year.

According to the CSO, 32,848 days were lost in the first nine months of this year, compared to 19,238 for the same period last year.

Seven disputes began, or were in progress, during the period, involving six firms.

The education sector accounted for almost 73% of the total days lost during the nine months, yesterday’s CSO data added.