Industrial Disputes, Australia

Latest release

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 2024

Released

12/06/2024

Key statistics

In the March quarter 2024:

48 disputes occurred.
12,800 employees were involved and 16,800 working days lost.
disputes occurred in 6 industries and in 7 states and territories.

During the year ended March 2024, there were 207 disputes and a total of 108,300 working days lost.

Key statistics
		Quarter		Year ended
		December Quarter 2023	March Quarter 2024	March Quarter 2023	March Quarter 2024
Number of disputes (no.)
	New	47	36	191	193
	Total	67	48	198	207
Employees involved ('000)
	New	14.3	10.6	115.0	51.8
	Total	18.6	12.8	117.4	52.9
Working days lost ('000)		44.2	16.8	184.9	108.3

Overview

In the March quarter 2024, there were:

48 disputes, a decrease from 67 in the previous quarter.
12,800 employees involved, a decrease from 18,600 in the previous quarter.
16,800 working days lost, a decrease from 44,200 in the previous quarter.

Year ended estimates:

207 disputes occurred, 9 more than in the previous year.
108,300 working days were lost, 76,600 less than in the previous year.

Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter
	Number of disputes		Employees involved		Working days lost
	New (no.)	Total (no.)	New ('000)	Total ('000)	('000)
March Quarter 2022	22	30	10.1	11.4	19.6
June Quarter 2022	45	52	71.2	73.7	128.1
September Quarter 2022	60	70	21.2	22.2	28.1
December Quarter 2022	53	68	18.4	21.6	21.0
March Quarter 2023	33	41	4.1	4.7	7.7
June Quarter 2023	57	71	9.6	10.5	10.2
September Quarter 2023	53	67	17.4	18.8	37.1
December Quarter 2023	47	67	14.3	18.6	44.2
March Quarter 2024	36	48	10.6	12.8	16.8

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
Quarter	Working days lost ('000)	Employees involved ('000)	Number of disputes (no.)
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	4.0	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	4.0	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
Jun-21	10.4	6.4	36
Sep-21	18.5	13.3	50
Dec-21	68.5	57.2	55
Mar-22	19.6	11.4	30
Jun-22	128.1	73.7	52
Sep-22	28.1	22.2	70
Dec-22	21.0	21.6	68
Mar-23	7.7	4.7	41
Jun-23	10.2	10.5	71
Sep-23	37.1	18.8	67
Dec-23	44.2	18.6	67
Mar-24	16.8	12.8	48

Industrial disputes in the last 10 years, Australia

["Quarter","Working days lost ('000)","Employees involved ('000)","Number of disputes (no.)"]

[["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","Jun-21","Sep-21","Dec-21","Mar-22","Jun-22","Sep-22","Dec-22","Mar-23","Jun-23","Sep-23","Dec-23","Mar-24"],[[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],[10.4],[18.5],[68.5],[19.600000000000001],[128.09999999999999],[28.100000000000001],[21],[7.7000000000000002],[10.199999999999999],[37.100000000000001],[44.200000000000003],[16.800000000000001]],[[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],[6.4000000000000004],[13.300000000000001],[57.200000000000003],[11.4],[73.700000000000003],[22.199999999999999],[21.600000000000001],[4.7000000000000002],[10.5],[18.800000000000001],[18.600000000000001],[12.800000000000001]],[[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],[36],[50],[55],[30],[52],[70],[68],[41],[71],[67],[67],[48]]]

[]

{"0":{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":"4","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":null},"reverse_axis":false}

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"no.","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"'000","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Industrial disputes historical series, Australia
Quarter	Working days lost ('000)	Employees involved ('000)	Number of disputes (no.)
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
Jun-21	10.4	6.4	36
Sep-21	18.5	13.3	50
Dec-21	68.5	57.2	55
Mar-22	19.6	11.4	30
Jun-22	128.1	73.7	52
Sep-22	28.1	22.2	70
Dec-22	21	21.6	68
Mar-23	7.7	4.7	41
Jun-23	10.2	10.5	71
Sep-23	37.1	18.8	67
Dec-23	44.2	18.6	67
Mar-24	16.8	12.8	48

Industrial disputes historical series, Australia

["Quarter","Working days lost ('000)","Employees involved ('000)","Number of disputes (no.)"]

[["Mar-85","Jun-85","Sep-85","Dec-85","Mar-86","Jun-86","Sep-86","Dec-86","Mar-87","Jun-87","Sep-87","Dec-87","Mar-88","Jun-88","Sep-88","Dec-88","Mar-89","Jun-89","Sep-89","Dec-89","Mar-90","Jun-90","Sep-90","Dec-90","Mar-91","Jun-91","Sep-91","Dec-91","Mar-92","Jun-92","Sep-92","Dec-92","Mar-93","Jun-93","Sep-93","Dec-93","Mar-94","Jun-94","Sep-94","Dec-94","Mar-95","Jun-95","Sep-95","Dec-95","Mar-96","Jun-96","Sep-96","Dec-96","Mar-97","Jun-97","Sep-97","Dec-97","Mar-98","Jun-98","Sep-98","Dec-98","Mar-99","Jun-99","Sep-99","Dec-99","Mar-00","Jun-00","Sep-00","Dec-00","Mar-01","Jun-01","Sep-01","Dec-01","Mar-02","Jun-02","Sep-02","Dec-02","Mar-03","Jun-03","Sep-03","Dec-03","Mar-04","Jun-04","Sep-04","Dec-04","Mar-05","Jun-05","Sep-05","Dec-05","Mar-06","Jun-06","Sep-06","Dec-06","Mar-07","Jun-07","Sep-07","Dec-07","Mar-08","Jun-08","Sep-08","Dec-08","Mar-09","Jun-09","Sep-09","Dec-09","Mar-10","Jun-10","Sep-10","Dec-10","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","Jun-21","Sep-21","Dec-21","Mar-22","Jun-22","Sep-22","Dec-22","Mar-23","Jun-23","Sep-23","Dec-23","Mar-24"],[[333.10000000000002],[202.09999999999999],[349.39999999999998],[371.60000000000002],[199.30000000000001],[526.29999999999995],[289.89999999999998],[375.19999999999999],[184.19999999999999],[277.60000000000002],[519.29999999999995],[330.80000000000001],[214.5],[625.89999999999998],[540.29999999999995],[260.69999999999999],[170.09999999999999],[313.60000000000002],[475],[243.59999999999999],[162],[301.10000000000002],[341.19999999999999],[572.20000000000005],[97.5],[563],[340.19999999999999],[609.79999999999995],[66.099999999999994],[154.19999999999999],[51.600000000000001],[669.20000000000005],[196.40000000000001],[98.400000000000006],[202.19999999999999],[138.69999999999999],[112.5],[77.5],[102.90000000000001],[208.69999999999999],[111.3],[156.80000000000001],[120.09999999999999],[159.40000000000001],[153],[368.10000000000002],[304.30000000000001],[103.3],[88.400000000000006],[144],[125.2],[176.59999999999999],[98.299999999999997],[191.80000000000001],[126.3],[110],[102],[74],[243.09999999999999],[231.59999999999999],[146.09999999999999],[173.30000000000001],[86.200000000000003],[63.5],[70.299999999999997],[129.5],[111.09999999999999],[82.200000000000003],[72.700000000000003],[63.399999999999999],[53.399999999999999],[69.599999999999994],[66.299999999999997],[55.5],[166.19999999999999],[151.5],[80.400000000000006],[154.19999999999999],[93.299999999999997],[51.899999999999999],[45.100000000000001],[52.799999999999997],[49.299999999999997],[81],[30.100000000000001],[28.199999999999999],[20.199999999999999],[54.200000000000003],[6.9000000000000004],[7.0999999999999996],[11.300000000000001],[24.399999999999999],[42.799999999999997],[86.5],[36.200000000000003],[31.100000000000001],[11.6],[47.299999999999997],[29.100000000000001],[44.700000000000003],[28.800000000000001],[24],[46.600000000000001],[27.199999999999999],[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],[10.4],[18.5],[68.5],[19.600000000000001],[128.09999999999999],[28.100000000000001],[21],[7.7000000000000002],[10.199999999999999],[37.100000000000001],[44.200000000000003],[16.800000000000001]],[[132.19999999999999],[122.5],[170.90000000000001],[163.59999999999999],[67.799999999999997],[319.30000000000001],[162.30000000000001],[155.5],[85.799999999999997],[183.09999999999999],[151.09999999999999],[185.30000000000001],[91.299999999999997],[442.5],[333.60000000000002],[108.09999999999999],[89.700000000000003],[149.09999999999999],[334.89999999999998],[157],[84.599999999999994],[208.30000000000001],[304.10000000000002],[317.10000000000002],[85],[334.60000000000002],[343.80000000000001],[589.10000000000002],[52.5],[85.200000000000003],[43.100000000000001],[695.20000000000005],[180.40000000000001],[83.700000000000003],[130.09999999999999],[123.2],[37.299999999999997],[44.399999999999999],[66.700000000000003],[132.09999999999999],[74.400000000000006],[86.599999999999994],[67.599999999999994],[135.80000000000001],[108.8],[224],[285.89999999999998],[78.400000000000006],[56.700000000000003],[91],[55.799999999999997],[115.2],[48.399999999999999],[141.5],[76.5],[90.099999999999994],[62.899999999999999],[51.299999999999997],[265.10000000000002],[118.09999999999999],[105.5],[129.19999999999999],[64.099999999999994],[38.899999999999999],[37.5],[99],[52.5],[43.399999999999999],[46.600000000000001],[41.399999999999999],[40.899999999999999],[41.100000000000001],[30.100000000000001],[29.699999999999999],[107.90000000000001],[116.3],[45.200000000000003],[65],[56.200000000000003],[33.600000000000001],[20.800000000000001],[53.399999999999999],[68.400000000000006],[102.59999999999999],[19],[37.700000000000003],[6.5999999999999996],[60.600000000000001],[3.6000000000000001],[4.5],[5.9000000000000004],[23.699999999999999],[42.299999999999997],[69],[60.5],[62.899999999999999],[8.4000000000000004],[43.899999999999999],[18],[27],[13.199999999999999],[13.9],[16],[17],[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],[6.4000000000000004],[13.300000000000001],[57.200000000000003],[11.4],[73.700000000000003],[22.199999999999999],[21.600000000000001],[4.7000000000000002],[10.5],[18.800000000000001],[18.600000000000001],[12.800000000000001]],[[445],[400],[605],[508],[379],[483],[491],[456],[366],[418],[383],[409],[393],[420],[358],[372],[383],[386],[363],[309],[294],[295],[336],[309],[285],[304],[302],[187],[207],[213],[181],[164],[156],[164],[168],[147],[112],[131],[159],[175],[170],[170],[180],[155],[134],[149],[126],[156],[97],[126],[125],[112],[107],[103],[158],[175],[162],[180],[230],[192],[201],[192],[194],[170],[204],[173],[195],[156],[179],[205],[240],[198],[162],[141],[193],[187],[187],[190],[194],[149],[119],[138],[150],[96],[101],[24],[44],[50],[33],[32],[45],[36],[39],[60],[56],[43],[48],[58],[72],[81],[54],[56],[72],[70],[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],[36],[50],[55],[30],[52],[70],[68],[41],[71],[67],[67],[48]]]

[]

{"0":{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":"4","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":null},"reverse_axis":false}

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"no.","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"'000","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","axis_min":null,"axis_max":null,"tick_interval":null,"precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Industry

In the March quarter, disputes occurred in six industries. Over a third (42%) of the total working days lost were in the Other Industries industry.

Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, industry
		December Quarter 2023		March Quarter 2024
		Working days lost ('000)	Working days lost per thousand employees (no.)	Working days lost ('000)	Working days lost per thousand employees (no.)
Mining
	Coal mining	-	-	-	-
	Other mining	np	np	-	-
Manufacturing
	Metal product etc (a)	np	np	0.6	1.8
	Other manufacturing	12.8	23.2	0.1	0.1
Construction		2.5	2.3	3.2	3.0
Transport, postal & warehousing		13.3	19.9	5.4	8.3
Education & training; Health care & social assistance		9.2	2.8	0.4	0.1
Other industries (a)		3.8	0.6	7.1	1.0
All industries		44.2	3.4	16.8	1.3

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

States and territories

Disputes occurred in seven states and territories in the March quarter, with over half (56%) of the total working days lost occurring in Queensland.

Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, states and territories
	December Quarter 2023		March Quarter 2024
	Working days lost ('000)	Working days lost per thousand employees (no.)	Working days lost ('000)	Working days lost per thousand employees (no.)
New South Wales	5.0	1.2	2.1	0.5
Victoria	18.5	5.4	2.4	0.7
Queensland	11.0	4.2	9.4	3.6
South Australia	5.2	6.0	0.1	0.1
Western Australia	3.9	2.7	2.7	1.8
Tasmania	0.3	1.1	np	np
Northern Territory	0.1	0.5	-	-
Australian Capital Territory	0.3	1.2	np	np
Australia	44.2	3.4	16.8	1.3

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

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 91% of disputes (50 of 55) which ended in the December quarter 2023.

Cause of dispute for disputes which ended during the quarter
		September Quarter 2023			December Quarter 2023
		Number of disputes (no.)	Employees involved ('000)	Working days lost ('000)	Number of disputes (no.)	Employees involved ('000)	Working days lost ('000)
EB(a) related
	Remuneration	14	1.5	5.1	20	2.4	9.4
	Employment conditions	23	9.7	17.5	30	12.4	37.9
	Other	-	-	-	-	-	-
Non-EB(a) related
	Remuneration	1	np	np	-	-	-
	Employment conditions	2	np	np	-	-	-
	Health and safety	4	1.1	1.8	2	0.1	-
	Job security	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Managerial policy	-	-	-	1	0.1	-
	Union issues	1	0.3	0.2	-	-	-
	Other	2	1.7	1.5	2	2.1	1.4
Total		47	14.3	26.3	55	17.0	48.8

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

Working days lost

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

Of the 55 disputes which ended in the December quarter, 18 lasted up to and including 1 day. These disputes had:

8,400 employees involved; and
7,300 working days lost.

Working days lost for disputes which ended during the quarter
	September Quarter 2023			December Quarter 2023
	Number of disputes (no.)	Employees involved ('000)	Working days lost ('000)	Number of disputes (no.)	Employees involved ('000)	Working days lost ('000)
Up to and including 1 day	20	10.1	7.7	18	8.4	7.3
Over 1 day and up to including 2 days	6	1.8	2.8	12	3.7	4.5
Over 2 and less than 5 days	14	1.5	5.1	11	3.1	10.2
5 and less than 10 days	2	0.1	0.6	8	0.8	6.5
10 days and over	5	0.8	10.0	6	1.0	20.3
Total	47	14.3	26.3	55	17.0	48.8

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 84% of disputes (46 of 55) which ended in the December quarter 2023.

Reason work resumed for disputes which ended during the quarter
	September Quarter 2023			December Quarter 2023
	Number of disputes (no.)	Employees involved ('000)	Working days lost ('000)	Number of disputes (no.)	Employees involved ('000)	Working days lost ('000)
Negotiation without intervention of a third party	8	1.6	4.8	5	np	np
State legislation	-	-	-	-	-	-
Federal legislation	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pre-determined return to work	36	12.6	21.4	46	16.5	36.3
Resumption without negotiation	3	0.1	0.1	2	0.3	10.3
Mediation	-	-	-	2	np	np
Other reasons	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	47	14.3	26.3	55	17.0	48.8

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

Data downloads

Download all (485.72 KB)

Time Series Spreadsheets

Data files

Table 1: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period
Download xlsx [58.5 KB]
Table 2a: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost, industry
Download xlsx [54.09 KB]
Table 2b: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost per thousand employees, industry
Download xlsx [53.88 KB]
Table 3a: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost, states and territories
Download xlsx [63.09 KB]
Table 3b: Industrial disputes which occurred during the period, working days lost per thousand employees, states and territories
Download xlsx [61.91 KB]
Table 4a: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, cause of dispute
Download xlsx [93.49 KB]
Table 4b: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, working days lost per employee involved
Download xlsx [63.53 KB]
Table 4c: Industrial disputes which ended during the period, reason work resumed
Download xlsx [79.5 KB]

Enquiries

For enquiries about these and related statistics, contact the Customer Assistance Service via the ABS website Contact Us page. The ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS will handle any personal information that you provide to us.

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6321.0.55.001.

Methodology

Industrial Disputes, Australia methodology, March 2024

Do you need more detailed statistics?

Request data

We can provide customised data to meet your requirements

Request a quote

Microdata and TableBuilder

We can provide access to detailed, customisable data on selected topics

View available Microdata and TableBuilder

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