December 2000 Quarter Records Five Work Stoppages

Work Stoppages: December 2000 quarter

December 2000 Quarter Records Five Work Stoppages Five work stoppages ended in the December 2000 quarter latest figures from Statistics New Zealand show. The number of employees involved, losses of person-days of work and estimated loss in wages and salaries were lower in the December 2000 quarter than in the September 2000 and December 1999 quarters.

In the December 2000 quarter, complete strikes accounted for all of the stoppages. Some 209 employees were involved in the five work stoppages, resulting in the losses of 441 person-days of work and an estimated $59,000 in wages and salaries. This is the lowest estimated loss in wages and salaries since the September 1991 quarter when an estimated $57,000 loss in wages and salaries was recorded.

Twenty-one stoppages ended in the December 2000 year. This is the lowest number recorded in a calendar year since 1935. The 21 stoppages involved 2,632 employees, and a loss of 11,495 person-days of work with an estimated $2.3 million loss in wages and salaries. In comparison, 32 stoppages ended in the December 1999 year with 10,747 employees involved and a loss of 16,674 person-days of work. The stoppages in 1999 had an estimated $3.3 million loss in wages and salaries.

The average person-days lost per employee involved in the December 2000 year was 4.4. This is the highest since the December 1990 year when 6.6 average person-days lost per employee involved was recorded. In the December 1999 year, there were 1.6 average person-days lost per employee involved.

Twelve public sector stoppages and nine private sector stoppages ended in the December 2000 year. In the December 1999 year, 13 public sector stoppages and 19 private sector stoppages ended.

In the December 2000 year, eight work stoppages were recorded in health and community services; five in manufacturing; and three in government administration and defence. In all other industries combined there were five work stoppages. Work stoppages in manufacturing contributed 78 per cent of the estimated $2.3 million loss in wages and salaries during the December 2000 year.

Dianne Macaskill DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN END

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