New Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show a marked rise in the number of industrial disputes during 2013. Last year there were 12 industrial disputes involving a stoppage of work lasting for at least 10 working days or involving 10 or more workers. The twelve disputes in progress in 2013 involved 11,924 workers and twelve firms, whereas 1,920 workers and five firms were involved in industrial disputes in 2012.In total stoppages accounted for 14,965 workdays in 2013 compared to 8,486 in 2012. Two disputes in the transportation and storage sector accounted for 9,815 (65.6%) of work stoppage days in 2013.The figures indicate that 2013 saw the highest number of work stoppages since 2009 – a year which included a strike by tens of thousands of public sector workers on Tuesday, 24th November.
Rise in industrial actions during 2013
