Industrial Disputes, Australia

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This publication contains the quarterly estimates of employees involved and working days lost from industrial disputes

Reference period
December 2019
Released
12/03/2020

Main features

December key statistics

The Industrial Disputes release provides statistics monitoring the level of industrial disputation in Australia.

Quarterly estimates

  • 38 disputes occurred, five less from the previous quarter.
  • 8,800 employees were involved, a decrease from 17,500 in the previous quarter.
  • 12,400 working days were lost, a decrease from 17,800 in the previous quarter.
  • More than two in ten (22%) working days lost were in the Other manufacturing industry.
  • More than two in ten (29%) working days lost were in Victoria.
     

Year ended estimates

  • 147 disputes occurred, 16 less than in the previous year.
  • 64,400 working days were lost, 39% less than the previous year.
     
  QuarterYear ended
  September 2019December 2019December 2018December 2019
Number of disputes    
 Commenced in period (no.)3534158135
 Total (no.)4338163147
Employees involved    
 Newly involved ('000)16.88.357.451.6
 Total ('000)17.58.857.653.2
Working days lost ('000)17.812.4105.864.4

Tables

1 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter

 Number of disputesEmployees involved 
 Commenced in periodTotalNewly involvedTotalWorking days lost
 no.no.'000'000'000
December Quarter 2017466714.717.136.7
March Quarter 201819243.84.014.9
June Quarter 2018424814.414.612.5
September Quarter 2018445113.613.847.4
December Quarter 2018536225.628.830.9
March Quarter 201932447.89.316.6
June Quarter 2019344418.820.217.6
September Quarter 2019354316.817.517.8
December Quarter 201934388.38.812.4

 

2 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, industry

  September Quarter 2019December Quarter 2019
  Working days lostWorking days lost per thousand employeesWorking days lostWorking days lost per thousand employees
  '000no.'000no.
Mining    
 Coal miningnpnpnpnp
 Other mining---0.1
Manufacturing    
 Metal product etc(a)0.20.50.82.5
 Other manufacturing2.44.72.75.0
Construction1.81.91.21.3
Transport, postal and warehousing3.35.7npnp
Education and training; Health care and social assistance6.72.50.50.2
Other industries(a)npnp0.70.1
All industries17.81.512.41.1

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
a. See Glossary - Industry - for details of industries included. 
 

3 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, states and territories

 September Quarter 2019December Quarter 2019
 Working days lostWorking days lost per thousand employeesWorking days lostWorking days lost per thousand employees
 '000no.'000no.
New South Wales5.51.5npnp
Victoria3.21.03.61.1
Queensland2.81.22.10.9
South Australia6.28.30.10.1
Western Australianpnp0.10.1
Tasmanianpnpnpnp
Northern Territory--npnp
Australian Capital Territory--npnp
Australia17.81.512.41.1

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated 
 

4 Industrial disputes which ended during the quarter

  June Quarter 2019September Quarter 2019
  Total Number of DisputesTotal Employees InvolvedWorking days LostTotal Number of DisputesTotal Employees InvolvedWorking days Lost
  no.'000'000no.'000'000
  CAUSE OF DISPUTE    
Enterprise Bargaining (EB) related    
 Remuneration103.92.8100.51.2
 Employment conditions (EB)143.48.31712.811.3
 Other EB related---2-0.9
Non-EB related      
 Remuneration------
 Employment conditions1npnp10.50.1
 Health and safety5npnp71.91.7
 Job security10.1----
 Managerial policy1npnp1--
 Union issues------
 Other Non EB related411.47.311.51.1
Total3620.219.73917.216.3
 WORKING DAYS LOST PER EMPLOYEE INVOLVED
Up to and including 1 day1917.711.42214.18.7
Over 1 day and up to including 2 days101.72.472.44.2
Over 2 and less than 5 days60.83.150.61.5
5 and less than 10 days---20.10.6
10 days and over10.12.93-1.3
Total3620.219.73917.216.3
 REASON WORK RESUMED
Negotiation without intervention of a third party20.31.150.31.3
State legislation10.10.11--
Federal legislation------
Pre-determined return to work2919.115.02915.613.4
Resumption without negotiation30.70.61npnp
Mediation10.12.93npnp
Other reasons------
Total3620.219.73917.216.3

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated 
 

Inquiries

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

Data downloads

Table 1: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period

Table 2a: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost, industry

Table 2b: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost per thousand employees, industry

Table 3a: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost, states and territories

Table 3b: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost per thousand employees, states and territories

Table 4a: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, cause of dispute

Table 4b: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, working days lost per employee involved

Table 4c: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, reason work resumed

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