Almost 330,000 work days lost to disputes in 2009

THERE were 329,706 days of work lost to the economy in 2009 due to industrial disputes involving 278,228 workers, new figures show.

That compares to just 4,179 days lost to action by 356 workers in the previous year.

The bulk of last year’s figure were due to action by public sector workers. They accounted for 248,679 (75%) of the days lost and 265,400 (95%) of the workers involved.

In total there were 23 strikes by workers across the economy. That compared to just 12 in 2008.

Even when the number of days lost through the public service strike are discounted, at over 81,000 the figure is still high compared to previous years. In fact it had not been so high since 2001.

The bulk of the days lost to strikes last year came in the fourth quarter when there were 248,176.

It is widely anticipated that the figures for 2010 will be much worse given the current industrial landscape.

Public sector unions meet next week to discuss initiating rolling stoppages across whole sectors of the public service.

If they do not secure their goal of a reversal of the pay cuts introduced in the last budget that could escalate to further nationwide strikes lasting for a number of days.

Furthermore the Government is currently preparing to introduce opt-out clauses for struggling employers from the minimum wage requirements in certain sectors.

Unions are already mounting a campaign of opposition to the impending legislation and it is likely that before the end of the summer, there will be some sort of industrial response.

Yesterday, as part of rolling action by Impact trade union, telephones across the HSE in Dublin and the northeast were not answered by members between 9am and 1pm.

That action will alternate today to the HSE west, the HSE south tomorrow and Dublin and mid-Leinster on Friday.