No working days lost due to industrial disputes in second quarter of 2020

The CSO said no days were lost due to industrial disputes in Q2 2020, the first time since 2015 that no days were lost. Picture: Members of the Teachers Union of Ireland on strike in February 2020. David Creedon / Anzenberger

Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures showed that there were no disputes that began or were in progress in this period.

The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic is illustrated when compared to the same period last year when, according to the CSO, there were three disputes which resulted in 7,693 days lost.

This is the first quarter since the Q3 in 2015 that no days were lost to industrial disputes, the CSO said.

Before the pandemic gripped the country and sent it into lockdown with thousands of jobs lost or furloughed, there were four industrial disputes in the first quarter of 2020.

CSO figures showed that from the four disputes, which involved 21,975 workers, 19,912 days were lost.

Disputes are included if they involve a stoppage of work lasting for at least one day and the total time lost is 10 or more person-days.

In calculating days lost, it is assumed that work would have continued if no dispute had occurred, according to the CSO method. 

The number of days lost is calculated by multiplying the number of persons involved by the number of normal working days during which they were involved in the dispute. 

Persons working for approximately 40 hours per week are assumed to be working the equivalent of a five day week even if the work is spread over more than five days, the CSO said.

In 2019 overall, nine disputes began with 42,656 workers involved, and at least 35,000 working days were lost, although the final total is not available.

Industrial disputes in 2016 were the highest for the past eight years, with more than 71,500 days lost.