asked the Minister for Labour the number of (a) official and (b) unofficial industrial disputes and the number of days lost in each case in the first quarter of 1988; and the way in which this compares with 1987.
Written Answers. - Industrial Disputes.
15.
The Central Statistics Office is the official source of statistics relating to industrial disputes. However, the figures published by that office do not differentiate between official and unofficial disputes. Estimated figures prepared by my Department indicate that 23 strikes began during the first three months of 1988 and that three strikes were carried over from the final quarter of 1987. Of the new strikes monitored during the quarter, 18 (78 per cent) were official and the remaining five (22 per cent) were unofficial. It is estimated that approximately 54,000 days were lost through strikes during the quarter. Official strikes accounted for 53,000 (98 per cent) of the days lost and unofficial strikes for the remaining 1,000 (2 per cent).
Estimated figures for the corresponding three month period of 1987 show that 22 strikes began during the quarter and that seven strikes were carried over from the final quarter of 1986. Of the new strikes monitored during the quarter ten (45 per cent) were official and 12 (55 per cent) were unofficial. The total number of days lost through strikes during the first quarter of 1987 is estimated to be approximately 135,000, of which 118,000 (8 per cent) were accounted for by official strikes and 17,000 (13 per cent) by unofficial strikes.
I might add in general terms that an overall decline in days lost is clearly discernible. The number of strikes in 1987 was the lowest since 1967 and the number of days lost the lowest since 1973. The number of strikes and days lost due to unofficial action have also shown a declining pattern as a percentage of the total.