Industry & Business

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office on Thursday, November 18, show that 14,270 days were lost to industrial disputes in the third quarter of 2016. The figures can be compared to the second quarter of 2016 where 1,127 days were lost to industrial disputes, or the third quarter of 2015 where no disputes were reported to have caused days lost.

All but 50 of the days lost were in the transportation and storage sector, with three disputes registered. The Irish Independent cited the Dublin Bus Strike as the largest industrial dispute during the period. The strike saw staff take action to seek pay increases until talks at the Workplace Relations Commission lead to action being suspended with a 3.75% yearly pay increase was agreed upon.

On the same day that these figures were released, SIPTU announced that it has authorized ballots by union members for industrial action and strike action on public service pay. In a statement issued following its monthly meeting in Liberty Hall, Dublin, SIPTU’s National Executive Council said “throughout the very difficult years since the economic collapse of 2008 the NEC of SIPTU has recommended acceptance of extremely difficult choices in both the industrial and political arena across the private and the public service.  We did so in order to ensure that our members and working people generally would hold as much ground as possible and to preserve the economic independence of the country itself.  We always made it clear that when circumstances changed we would take whatever action was necessary to re-take lost ground. This is precisely what we have been doing as the economic recovery has gathered momentum.”