Forty-Six Work Stoppages End in December 2002 Year

Forty-Six Work Stoppages End in December 2002 Year

Forty-six work stoppages ended in the December 2002 year, according to latest figures from Statistics New Zealand. The number of stoppages and the number of employees involved were higher than the December 2001 year, while the number of person-days of work lost and estimated loss in wages and salaries were lower.

The 46 stoppages that ended in the December 2002 year consisted of 38 complete strikes, six partial strikes and two lockouts. The number of partial strikes is the highest since the year ended December 1996 when eight were recorded. The 46 stoppages involved 23,309 employees with losses of 34,398 person-days of work and an estimated $5.0 million in wages and salaries. The average person-days of work lost per employee involved was 1.5.

In comparison, the December 2001 year recorded 42 stoppages with 22,022 employees involved.

This resulted in losses of 54,440 person-days of work and an estimated $7.7 million in wages and salaries.

In the December 2002 quarter, 14 stoppages ended and these involved 2,875 employees with losses of 1,922 person-days of work. This is an average loss of 0.7 person-days of work. An estimated $295,000 was lost in wages and salaries.

The September 2002 quarter recorded 11 stoppages with 14,749 employees involved. This resulted in losses of 23,461 person-days of work and an estimated $3.3 million in wages and salaries.

The manufacturing industry contributed 14 of the 46 work stoppages ending in the December 2002 year. Eleven stoppages were recorded in health and community services. Six stoppages each were recorded in the transport and storage; and education industries. Three stoppages were recorded in personal and other services. The remaining six stoppages occurred in other industries. While manufacturing had the highest number of work stoppages, education recorded the highest number of employees involved, loss of person-days of work and estimated loss in wages and salaries. The education industry contributed about 74 percent of the total 23,309 employees involved.

Twenty-seven private sector and 19 public sector stoppages ended in the December 2002 year.

The number of workers involved, person-days of work lost and estimated wages and salaries lost were higher in the public sector than in the private sector.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

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