6321.0.55.001 - Industrial Disputes, Australia, Dec 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/03/2007   
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DECEMBER KEY FIGURES

Quarter
Year ended
September 2006
December 2006
December 2005
December 2006
Number of disputes
Commenced in period (no.)
r40
40
462
200
Total (no.)
r44
50
472
202
Employees involved
Newly involved ('000)
6.2
59.8
240.5
122.6
Total ('000)
r6.6
60.6
241.0
122.7
Working days lost ('000)
20.2
54.2
228.3
132.6
r revised

Working days lost
Graph: Working days lost



DECEMBER KEY POINTS


QUARTERLY ESTIMATES
  • For the December quarter 2006, there were 50 disputes, 6 more than in the September quarter 2006.
  • The number of employees involved in industrial disputes in the December quarter 2006 was 60,600, an increase from 6,600 in the September quarter 2006.
  • There were 54,200 working days lost due to industrial disputation in the December quarter 2006, an increase from 20,200 in the September quarter 2006.
  • The Education and Health and community services industries accounted for 32,100 (59%) of the total number of working days lost in the December quarter 2006. The Metal product and Machinery and equipment manufacturing industries had the highest number of working days lost per thousand employees (30.6) for the quarter.
  • In the December quarter 2006, Victoria accounted for 28,700 (53%) of working days lost. Victoria also had the highest number of working days lost per thousand employees (12.9) for the quarter.


YEAR ENDED ESTIMATES
  • During the year ended December 2006, there were 202 disputes, 270 less than in the year ended December 2005.
  • During the year ended December 2006, there were 132,600 working days lost compared with 228,300 in the year ended December 2005.


NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER) Release Date
March 2007 7 June 2007
June 2007 6 September 2007



NOTES ON ESTIMATES

ACTU 'NATIONAL DAY OF COMMUNITY PROTEST'


Industrial Disputes statistics for the December quarter 2006 include the ACTU 'National Day of Community Protest' which took place on 30th November 2006. Protest rallies took place in all capital cities and in major regional centres.


ABS data on the number of employees involved and working days lost, in respect of this dispute, are significantly lower than those reported in the media at the time of the dispute. The main reasons are:

  • Employees who took authorised leave, such as time off in lieu, extended lunch breaks or paid leave, to participate in the rallies, are excluded from ABS industrial disputes statistics.
  • Members of the general public, other than employees, who took part in the rallies, are excluded from ABS industrial disputes statistics.
  • ABS data are mainly sourced from employers. Due to widespread involvement in the rallies, it has been difficult to identify all employers whose employees were on unauthorised absence on the day.

For further information on ABS scope and collection methodology for the Industrial Disputes collection, see the Explanatory Notes.



REVISIONS

Revisions have been made to the quarterly series as a result of disputes being identified after the release of the previous issue and as a result of correcting errors in previously reported data.



INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.