Warning signs by unions after year of industrial peace

DESPITE the seemingly constant threat of industrial action at ESB and Aer Lingus and the niggling disputes at Eircom and Dublin Bus, there were actually very few large-scale periods of industrial action during 2007.

In fact, during the third quarter of 2007, no days were lost to industrial disputes. That was the first time that had happened since the Central Statistics Office started compiling the records in 1985.

However, the seeds for what could be a very different proposition in 2008 were sown during the last 12 months.