Ireland: Latest strike trends examined

* Figures for 2001 are up to third quarter.

Source: CSO.

Examining the figures for the first three quarters of 2001 in more detail, the total number of days lost due to industrial action in the first three quarters of the year was 113,943, compared with 33,341 for the same period in 2000.

The number of days lost through industrial action in the first quarter of 2001 was 90,427. Significantly, over 80% of the days lost in this quarter (74,286 days) were due to the bitter and protracted teachers' strike (IE0012226N). This indicates that strike figures are easily skewed by one major dispute. The last time the figures were so high was the last quarter of 1999, when a nurses' strike (IE9912202N) had a similar impact on the figures. In fact, the majority of major disputes in recent years have occurred in the public services and the semi-state sector. Aside from the teachers' strike, 11 other strikes were in progress during the first quarter of 2001. Five were in the transport, storage and communications industries, resulting in 10,795 days lost. Two were in construction, with 3,160 days lost, and three were in manufacturing, with 2,186 days lost.

The number of days lost in the second quarter of 2002 was much lower, at 19,706. There were 10 industrial disputes involving 13,099 workers. Manufacturing accounted for 43% of the days lost. The other disputes primarily occurred in distribution - where a one-day strike at Tesco accounted for 6,531 lost days (or 33% of the total) - and transport, storage and communications - where three strikes accounted for 4,395 lost days (22% of the total).

The total of days lost in the third quarter fell very sharply to 3,810. Four strikes were in progress. Three of these were in the manufacturing sector, and one in the transport, storage and communication sector.

Why the decline in strike activity?

There are a number of possible reasons put forward by commentators for the decline in strike activity in Ireland since the late 1980s. A key factor has been the intensification of international competition, which has been associated with a marked shift in the balance of power at the workplace away from trade unions towards employers. Structural change associated with the decline of traditional highly unionised manufacturing industries - which were often strike prone - and the rise of new - often non-unionised - service industries, is also an important explanation for the decline of strike activity. Furthermore, it is undoubtedly the case that the national agreements that have been in place since 1987, such as the current Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (IE0003149F), have helped to promote industrial peace, as have the activities of the various formal and informal dispute-resolution institutions.

A central feature of national agreements has been a concern by the government and the social partners to prevent, contain and resolve industrial conflict and to promote consensual industrial relations. The scope of activities of the formal dispute-resolution institutions - the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) have also increased. The LRC, which was established in 1990, provides a conciliation and advisory service, while one of the main duties of the Labour Court is to attempt to resolve disputes that cannot be solved by the LRC. Finally, the unions themselves are now more likely to view the strike as a weapon of 'last resort' than perhaps was the case in the past. Industrial action following a ballot is now the predominant form of strike, with unofficial action being much rarer. Employers too are now more likely to be concerned with promoting 'good' employment relations practices than hitherto, and, where workplaces are managed more competently, unions may see less need for industrial action.

Commentary

There has undoubtedly been a decline in strike activity in Ireland since the late 1980s. As of 2001, strike levels remain at historically low levels, as was the case during the 1990s. There are a number of possible reasons for this, such as more intense product-market competition, sectoral change, national agreements promoting 'consensus', an enhanced role for formal and informal dispute-resolution mechanisms, and a greater emphasis on encouraging 'good' industrial relations at the workplace. There is no reason to believe, however, that the decline in strike activity is permanent. (Tony Dobbins, CEROP, UCD)