The number of work stoppages has jumped back up over the last year after gradually declining from 2006.There were 29 work stoppages in the year to June 2010, compared with 19 in the June 2009 year, according to Statistics New Zealand.This resulted in almo
The number of work stoppages has jumped back up over the last year after gradually declining from 2006.
There were 29 work stoppages in the year to June 2010, compared with 19 in the June 2009 year, according to Statistics New Zealand.
This resulted in almost a 900% jump in lost wages and salaries. In the year to June 2010 approximately $3.1m was lost, compared to $300,000 in the year before.
While the number of work stoppages was almost the same at 30 in 2008, the number of employees involved this year is almost 50% higher.
Last year’s increase was the first since 2006, but Statistics New Zealand manager of labour market statistics Peter Gardiner told the National Business Review the results are not alarming.
He said the number of work stoppages have plummeted hugely in the past two decades largely due to labour laws.
In the year to June 1990, there were 160 work stoppages and with the introduction of the Employment Contracts Act in 1991, that figure dropped to 110 the following year and has been gradually decreasing ever since.
While the manufacturing industry had the highest number of stoppages in the June 2010 year, with seven incidents, or 24% of all stoppages, the health care and social assistance industry had the largest number of employees involved.
The public administration and safety industry – at $800,000 – had the highest estimated loss in wages and salaries.
The underlying dispute was resolved in 16 of the 29 stoppages that ended in the June 2010 year.
Ten of these were resolved through negotiation between the employer and employee or their representatives and six were resolved through mediation services provided by the Department of Labour. Thirteen did not have the underlying dispute resolved.
Five work stoppages ended in the June 2010 quarter, which consisted of one lockout and two stoppages each for complete and partial strikes.
