Industrial Disputes, Australia

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The number of disputes (strikes or lockouts), employees involved and working days lost; cause of dispute; duration; and the reason work resumed

Reference period

March 2021

Released

3/06/2021

View all releases

Key statistics

In the March quarter 2021

24 disputes occurred.
2,700 employees were involved and 19,200 working days lost.
disputes occurred in 6 industries and in 6 states and territories.

During the year ended March 2021, there were 79 disputes and a total of 48,800 working days lost.

		Quarter		Year ended
		December 2020	March 2021	March 2020	March 2021
Number of disputes
	Commenced in period (no.)	27	22	120	76
	Total (no.)	32	24	130	79
Employees involved
	Newly involved ('000)	2.2	2.3	46.7	9.6
	Total ('000)	2.6	2.7	48.3	9.8
Working days lost ('000)		16.5	19.2	51.7	48.8

Overview

In the March quarter 2021, there were:

24 disputes, 8 less than from the previous quarter.
2,700 employees involved, an increase from 2,600 in the previous quarter.
19,200 working days lost, an increase from 16,500 in the previous quarter.

Year ended estimates:

79 disputes occurred, 51 less than in the previous year.
48,800 working days were lost, 6% less than the previous year.

1 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter
	Number of disputes		Employees involved
	Commenced in period	Total	Newly involved	Total	Working days lost
	no.	no.	'000	'000	'000
March Quarter 2019	32	44	7.8	9.3	16.6
June Quarter 2019	34	44	18.8	20.2	17.6
September Quarter 2019	35	43	16.8	17.5	17.8
December Quarter 2019	34	38	8.3	8.8	12.4
March Quarter 2020	17	23	2.9	4.0	3.9
June Quarter 2020	8	11	0.9	1.1	1.5
September Quarter 2020	19	21	4.2	4.3	11.7
December Quarter 2020	27	32	2.2	2.6	16.5
March Quarter 2021	22	24	2.3	2.7	19.2

Long-term trends

The level of industrial disputation over recent years is considerably lower than in the 1980's and prior decades.

Industrial disputes in the last 10 years, Australia
	Working days Lost ('000)	Employees involved ('000)	Number of disputes
Mar-11	19.7	11.1	37
Jun-11	66.2	14.7	53
Sep-11	101.3	66.4	66
Dec-11	54.3	51.6	74
Mar-12	35.8	6.7	43
Jun-12	101.7	70	53
Sep-12	110	55.8	68
Dec-12	25.7	27.3	58
Mar-13	52.1	46.9	55
Jun-13	19.8	10.9	61
Sep-13	23	19.7	65
Dec-13	36.1	57.3	58
Mar-14	9.7	5.7	37
Jun-14	20.2	19.9	60
Sep-14	24.6	18.9	55
Dec-14	16.9	19.8	57
Mar-15	20.4	14.6	46
Jun-15	14.8	17.8	59
Sep-15	29.1	29.8	78
Dec-15	19.1	20.3	72
Mar-16	27.9	23.9	80
Jun-16	24.5	20.5	60
Sep-16	34.9	26.3	93
Dec-16	37.2	37.5	48
Mar-17	25.6	22.7	32
Jun-17	40.2	27.8	49
Sep-17	45.9	8.1	57
Dec-17	36.7	17.1	67
Mar-18	14.9	4	24
Jun-18	12.5	14.6	48
Sep-18	47.4	13.8	51
Dec-18	30.9	28.8	62
Mar-19	16.6	9.3	44
Jun-19	17.6	20.2	44
Sep-19	17.8	17.5	43
Dec-19	12.4	8.8	38
Mar-20	3.9	4	23
Jun-20	1.5	1.1	11
Sep-20	11.7	4.3	21
Dec-20	16.5	2.6	32
Mar-21	19.2	2.7	24

Industrial disputes in the last 10 years, Australia

["","Working days Lost ('000)","Employees involved ('000)","Number of disputes"]

[["Mar-11","Jun-11","Sep-11","Dec-11","Mar-12","Jun-12","Sep-12","Dec-12","Mar-13","Jun-13","Sep-13","Dec-13","Mar-14","Jun-14","Sep-14","Dec-14","Mar-15","Jun-15","Sep-15","Dec-15","Mar-16","Jun-16","Sep-16","Dec-16","Mar-17","Jun-17","Sep-17","Dec-17","Mar-18","Jun-18","Sep-18","Dec-18","Mar-19","Jun-19","Sep-19","Dec-19","Mar-20","Jun-20","Sep-20","Dec-20","Mar-21"],[[19.699999999999999],[66.200000000000003],[101.3],[54.299999999999997],[35.799999999999997],[101.7],[110],[25.699999999999999],[52.100000000000001],[19.800000000000001],[23],[36.100000000000001],[9.6999999999999993],[20.199999999999999],[24.600000000000001],[16.899999999999999],[20.399999999999999],[14.800000000000001],[29.100000000000001],[19.100000000000001],[27.899999999999999],[24.5],[34.899999999999999],[37.200000000000003],[25.600000000000001],[40.200000000000003],[45.899999999999999],[36.700000000000003],[14.9],[12.5],[47.399999999999999],[30.899999999999999],[16.600000000000001],[17.600000000000001],[17.800000000000001],[12.4],[3.8999999999999999],[1.5],[11.699999999999999],[16.5],[19.199999999999999]],[[11.1],[14.699999999999999],[66.400000000000006],[51.600000000000001],[6.7000000000000002],[70],[55.799999999999997],[27.300000000000001],[46.899999999999999],[10.9],[19.699999999999999],[57.299999999999997],[5.7000000000000002],[19.899999999999999],[18.899999999999999],[19.800000000000001],[14.6],[17.800000000000001],[29.800000000000001],[20.300000000000001],[23.899999999999999],[20.5],[26.300000000000001],[37.5],[22.699999999999999],[27.800000000000001],[8.0999999999999996],[17.100000000000001],[4],[14.6],[13.800000000000001],[28.800000000000001],[9.3000000000000007],[20.199999999999999],[17.5],[8.8000000000000007],[4],[1.1000000000000001],[4.2999999999999998],[2.6000000000000001],[2.7000000000000002]],[[37],[53],[66],[74],[43],[53],[68],[58],[55],[61],[65],[58],[37],[60],[55],[57],[46],[59],[78],[72],[80],[60],[93],[48],[32],[49],[57],[67],[24],[48],[51],[62],[44],[44],[43],[38],[23],[11],[21],[32],[24]]]

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Industrial disputes historical series, Australia
	Working days Lost ('000)	Employees involved ('000)	Number of disputes
Mar-85	333.1	132.2	445
Jun-85	202.1	122.5	400
Sep-85	349.4	170.9	605
Dec-85	371.6	163.6	508
Mar-86	199.3	67.8	379
Jun-86	526.3	319.3	483
Sep-86	289.9	162.3	491
Dec-86	375.2	155.5	456
Mar-87	184.2	85.8	366
Jun-87	277.6	183.1	418
Sep-87	519.3	151.1	383
Dec-87	330.8	185.3	409
Mar-88	214.5	91.3	393
Jun-88	625.9	442.5	420
Sep-88	540.3	333.6	358
Dec-88	260.7	108.1	372
Mar-89	170.1	89.7	383
Jun-89	313.6	149.1	386
Sep-89	475	334.9	363
Dec-89	243.6	157	309
Mar-90	162	84.6	294
Jun-90	301.1	208.3	295
Sep-90	341.2	304.1	336
Dec-90	572.2	317.1	309
Mar-91	97.5	85	285
Jun-91	563	334.6	304
Sep-91	340.2	343.8	302
Dec-91	609.8	589.1	187
Mar-92	66.1	52.5	207
Jun-92	154.2	85.2	213
Sep-92	51.6	43.1	181
Dec-92	669.2	695.2	164
Mar-93	196.4	180.4	156
Jun-93	98.4	83.7	164
Sep-93	202.2	130.1	168
Dec-93	138.7	123.2	147
Mar-94	112.5	37.3	112
Jun-94	77.5	44.4	131
Sep-94	102.9	66.7	159
Dec-94	208.7	132.1	175
Mar-95	111.3	74.4	170
Jun-95	156.8	86.6	170
Sep-95	120.1	67.6	180
Dec-95	159.4	135.8	155
Mar-96	153	108.8	134
Jun-96	368.1	224	149
Sep-96	304.3	285.9	126
Dec-96	103.3	78.4	156
Mar-97	88.4	56.7	97
Jun-97	144	91	126
Sep-97	125.2	55.8	125
Dec-97	176.6	115.2	112
Mar-98	98.3	48.4	107
Jun-98	191.8	141.5	103
Sep-98	126.3	76.5	158
Dec-98	110	90.1	175
Mar-99	102	62.9	162
Jun-99	74	51.3	180
Sep-99	243.1	265.1	230
Dec-99	231.6	118.1	192
Mar-00	146.1	105.5	201
Jun-00	173.3	129.2	192
Sep-00	86.2	64.1	194
Dec-00	63.5	38.9	170
Mar-01	70.3	37.5	204
Jun-01	129.5	99	173
Sep-01	111.1	52.5	195
Dec-01	82.2	43.4	156
Mar-02	72.7	46.6	179
Jun-02	63.4	41.4	205
Sep-02	53.4	40.9	240
Dec-02	69.6	41.1	198
Mar-03	66.3	30.1	162
Jun-03	55.5	29.7	141
Sep-03	166.2	107.9	193
Dec-03	151.5	116.3	187
Mar-04	80.4	45.2	187
Jun-04	154.2	65	190
Sep-04	93.3	56.2	194
Dec-04	51.9	33.6	149
Mar-05	45.1	20.8	119
Jun-05	52.8	53.4	138
Sep-05	49.3	68.4	150
Dec-05	81	102.6	96
Mar-06	30.1	19	101
Jun-06	28.2	37.7	24
Sep-06	20.2	6.6	44
Dec-06	54.2	60.6	50
Mar-07	6.9	3.6	33
Jun-07	7.1	4.5	32
Sep-07	11.3	5.9	45
Dec-07	24.4	23.7	36
Mar-08	42.8	42.3	39
Jun-08	86.5	69	60
Sep-08	36.2	60.5	56
Dec-08	31.1	62.9	43
Mar-09	11.6	8.4	48
Jun-09	47.3	43.9	58
Sep-09	29.1	18	72
Dec-09	44.7	27	81
Mar-10	28.8	13.2	54
Jun-10	24	13.9	56
Sep-10	46.6	16	72
Dec-10	27.2	17	70
Mar-11	19.7	11.1	37
Jun-11	66.2	14.7	53
Sep-11	101.3	66.4	66
Dec-11	54.3	51.6	74
Mar-12	35.8	6.7	43
Jun-12	101.7	70	53
Sep-12	110	55.8	68
Dec-12	25.7	27.3	58
Mar-13	52.1	46.9	55
Jun-13	19.8	10.9	61
Sep-13	23	19.7	65
Dec-13	36.1	57.3	58
Mar-14	9.7	5.7	37
Jun-14	20.2	19.9	60
Sep-14	24.6	18.9	55
Dec-14	16.9	19.8	57
Mar-15	20.4	14.6	46
Jun-15	14.8	17.8	59
Sep-15	29.1	29.8	78
Dec-15	19.1	20.3	72
Mar-16	27.9	23.9	80
Jun-16	24.5	20.5	60
Sep-16	34.9	26.3	93
Dec-16	37.2	37.5	48
Mar-17	25.6	22.7	32
Jun-17	40.2	27.8	49
Sep-17	45.9	8.1	57
Dec-17	36.7	17.1	67
Mar-18	14.9	4	24
Jun-18	12.5	14.6	48
Sep-18	47.4	13.8	51
Dec-18	30.9	28.8	62
Mar-19	16.6	9.3	44
Jun-19	17.6	20.2	44
Sep-19	17.8	17.5	43
Dec-19	12.4	8.8	38
Mar-20	3.9	4	23
Jun-20	1.5	1.1	11
Sep-20	11.7	4.3	21
Dec-20	16.5	2.6	32
Mar-21	19.2	2.7	24

Industrial disputes historical series, Australia

["","Working days Lost ('000)","Employees involved ('000)","Number of disputes"]

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Industry

In the March quarter, disputes occurred in six industries. More than six in ten (68%) working days lost were in the Transport, postal and warehousing industry.

2 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, industry
		December Quarter 2020		March Quarter 2021
		Working days lost	Working days lost per thousand employees	Working days lost	Working days lost per thousand employees
		'000	no.	'000	no.
Mining
	Coal mining	-	-	1.7	34.6
	Other mining	-	-	-	0.1
Manufacturing
	Metal product etc (a)	np	np	-	-
	Other manufacturing	2.3	4.6	1.8	3.5
Construction		0.9	1.0	1.3	1.4
Transport, postal and warehousing		12.4	21.6	13.1	21.8
Education and training; Health care and social assistance		-	-	-	-
Other industries (a)		np	np	1.2	0.2
All industries		16.5	1.4	19.2	1.6

- 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.

States and territories

Disputes occurred in six states and territories in the March quarter, with more than eight in ten (82%) working days lost occurring in New South Wales.

3 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, states and territories
	December Quarter 2020		March Quarter 2021
	Working days lost	Working days lost per thousand employees	Working days lost	Working days lost per thousand employees
	'000	no.	'000	no.
NSW	12.4	3.3	15.8	4.3
Vic.	2.1	0.7	1.9	0.6
Qld	0.7	0.3	0.6	0.2
SA	0.5	0.6	np	np
WA	0.6	0.5	0.8	0.6
Tas.	np	np	-	-
NT	-	-	np	np
ACT	np	np	-	-
Australia	16.5	1.4	19.2	1.6

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

Cause of dispute

Most industrial disputes are Enterprise Bargaining (EB) related. Over the past 10 years, disputes over employment conditions have generally been the most prevalent.

EB related issues were the cause of 67% of disputes (20 of 30) which ended in the December quarter 2020.

4 Cause of disputes which ended during the quarter
		September Quarter 2020			December Quarter 2020
		Total Number of Disputes	Total Employees Involved	Working days Lost	Total Number of Disputes	Total Employees Involved	Working days Lost
		no.	'000	'000	no.	'000	'000
Enterprise Bargaining (EB) related
	Remuneration	4	0.3	0.4	8	0.3	1.4
	Employment conditions (EB)	7	0.9	6.4	12	2.8	7.3
	Other EB related	-	-	-	-	-	-
Non-EB related
	Remuneration	-	-	-	1	-	-
	Employment conditions	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Health and safety	2	np	np	5	0.4	0.4
	Job security	-	-	-	1	0.3	-
	Managerial policy	1	0.1	-	1	np	np
	Union issues	2	np	np	1	np	np
	Other Non EB related	-	-	-	1	np	np
Total		16	1.8	7.5	30	4.3	9.7

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

Working days lost

Working days lost is a measure of the length of a dispute, relative to the number of employees involved.

Of the 30 disputes which ended in the December quarter, 12 lasted for a day or less. These disputes had:

1,300 total employees involved; and
800 working days lost.

5 Working days lost for disputes which ended during the quarter
	September Quarter 2020			December Quarter 2020
	Total Number of Disputes	Total Employees Involved	Working days Lost	Total Number of Disputes	Total Employees Involved	Working days Lost
	no.	'000	'000	no.	'000	'000
Up to and including 1 day	8	0.8	0.5	12	1.3	0.8
Over 1 day and up to including 2 days	1	np	np	6	1.0	1.3
Over 2 and less than 5 days	3	np	np	6	1,7	4.2
5 and less than 10 days	2	np	np	3	0.3	2.4
10 days and over	2	np	np	3	0.1	1.0
Total	16	1.8	7.5	30	4.3	9.7

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

Reason work resumed

The reason work resumed relates to the last day of action taken. Resumption of work can occur without resolution to the issues that triggered the dispute.

There was a pre-determined return to work for 57% of disputes (17 of 30) which ended in the December quarter 2020.

6 Reason work resumed for disputes which ended during the quarter
	September Quarter 2020			December Quarter 2020
	Total Number of Disputes	Total Employees Involved	Working days Lost	Total Number of Disputes	Total Employees Involved	Working days Lost
	no.	'000	'000	no.	'000	'000
Negotiation without intervention of a third party	2	np	np	5	0.4	2.3
State legislation	2	0.2	0.1	1	np	np
Federal legislation	2	np	np	1	0.6	0.8
Pre-determined return to work	7	np	np	17	2.5	5.9
Resumption without negotiation	3	0.3	0.3	6	np	np
Mediation	-	-	-	-	-	-
Other reasons	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	16	1.8	7.5	30	4.3	9.7

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

Data downloads

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Time Series Spreadsheets

Data files

Table 1: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period
Download xls [86.5 KB]
Table 2a: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost, industry
Download xls [106 KB]
Table 2b: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost per thousand employees, industry
Download xls [103.5 KB]
Table 3a: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost, states and territories
Download xls [153 KB]
Table 3b: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost per thousand employees, states and territories
Download xls [142.5 KB]
Table 4a: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, cause of dispute
Download xls [347 KB]
Table 4b: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, working days lost per employee involved
Download xls [153 KB]
Table 4c: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, reason work resumed
Download xls [265.5 KB]

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6321.0.55.001.

Methodology

Industrial Disputes, Australia methodology, March 2021

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APA

Citation

Industrial Disputes, Australia

APA

Citation

Key statistics

Overview

Long-term trends

Industry

States and territories

Cause of dispute

Working days lost

Reason work resumed

Data downloads

Time Series Spreadsheets

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

Previous catalogue number

Methodology

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