Nine Work Stoppages Ended in September 2003 Q.

Nine Work Stoppages Ended in September 2003 Quarter

Nine work stoppages ended in the September 2003 quarter, according to latest figures from Statistics New Zealand. Five complete strikes and four partial strikes took place in the September 2003 quarter, compared with the four complete strikes and one partial strike in the previous quarter. The nine work stoppages in the September 2003 quarter involved 1,644 employees and resulted in a loss of 413 person-days of work with an average loss of 0.2 person-days of work per employee involved. An estimated $67,000 was lost in wages and salaries in the September 2003 quarter.

In comparison, the September 2002 quarter had 11 work stoppages that involved 14,749 employees and resulted in a loss of 23,461 person-days of work, with an average loss of 1.6 person-days of work per employee involved. An estimated $3.3 million was lost in wages and salaries in the September 2002 quarter. Twenty-nine work stoppages ended in the September 2003 year, involving 5,074 employees with losses of 19,896 person-days of work, and an estimated $4.3 million in wages and salaries. In comparison, 38 work stoppages involving 35,381 employees ended in the September 2002 year, resulting in losses of 55,870 person-days of work, and an estimated $8.2 million in wages and salaries.

Health and community services recorded eight of the 29 work stoppages in the September 2003 year. Five stoppages were recorded in manufacturing and three in transport and storage. The remaining 13 stoppages occurred in other industries. Health and community services had the highest number of stoppages. The transport and storage industry recorded the most number of employees involved. The manufacturing industry had the highest loss in salaries and wages, and recorded the highest loss of person-days of work.

Fifteen private sector stoppages and 14 public sector stoppages ended in the September 2003 year. The loss in estimated wages and salaries, and the loss of person-days of work were higher in the private sector, while the number of employees involved was higher in the public sector in the year to September 2003.

There were two ongoing work stoppages at the end of September 2003.

Brian Pink
Government Statistician
END

© Scoop Media