Latest release

Industrial Disputes, Australia

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

Reference period

September 2021

Released

2/12/2021

Key statistics

In the September quarter 2021:

50 disputes occurred.
13,300 employees were involved and 18,500 working days lost.
disputes occurred in 6 industries and in 7 states and territories.

During the year ended September 2021, there were 123 disputes and a total of 64,600 working days lost.

		Quarter		Year ended
		June 2021	September 2021	September 2020	September 2021
Number of disputes
	Commenced in period (no.)	30	39	78	118
	Total (no.)	36	50	82	123
Employees involved
	Newly involved ('000)	6.0	11.7	16.3	22.2
	Total ('000)	6.4	13.3	16.9	22.6
Working days lost ('000)		10.4	18.5	29.5	64.6

Overview

In the September quarter 2021, there were:

50 disputes, 14 more than from the previous quarter.
13,300 employees involved, an increase from 6,400 in the previous quarter.
18,500 working days lost, an increase from 10,400 in the previous quarter.

Year ended estimates:

123 disputes occurred, 41 more than in the previous year.
64,600 working days were lost, 119% more 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
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
June Quarter 2021	30	36	6.0	6.4	10.4
September Quarter 2021	39	50	11.7	13.3	18.5

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
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

["","Working days Lost ('000)","Employees Involved ('000)","Number of Disputes"]

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Industrial disputes historical series, Australia
	Working days Lost ('000)	Employees Involved ('000) (b)	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
Jun-21	10.4	6.4	36
Sep-21	18.5	13.3	50

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Industry

In the September quarter, disputes occurred in six industries. Nearly five in ten (47%) working days lost were in the Transport, postal and warehousing industry.

2 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, industry
		June Quarter 2021		September 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	0.7	15.2	-	-
	Other mining	-	-	-	-
Manufacturing
	Metal product etc (a)	1.0	3.1	1.8	5.1
	Other manufacturing	1.9	3.4	1.3	2.5
Construction		r2.2	r2.4	3.3	3.8
Transport, postal and warehousing		r1.3	r2.3	8.7	15.8
Education and training; Health care and social assistance		0.2	0.1	0.1	-
Other industries (a)		3.2	0.5	3.2	0.5
All industries		10.4	0.9	18.5	1.6

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
a. See Glossary - Industry - for details of industries included.
r revised

States and territories

Disputes occurred in seven states and territories in the September quarter, with one in four (25%) working days lost occurring in Western Australia.

3 Industrial disputes which occurred during the quarter, states and territories
	June Quarter 2021		September 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	2.5	0.7	4.0	1.1
Vic.	1.2	0.4	3.1	1.0
Qld	1.7	0.7	4.0	1.7
SA	1.0	1.3	1.2	1.5
WA	4.0	3.1	4.7	3.6
Tas.	-	-	1.4	6.0
NT	-	-	0.1	0.4
ACT	-	-	-	-
Australia	10.4	0.9	18.5	1.6

- 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 88% of disputes (22 of 25) which ended in the June quarter 2021.

4 Cause of disputes which ended during the quarter
		March Quarter 2021			June Quarter 2021
		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	2	np	np	8	0.4	1.8
	Employment conditions (EB)	7	0.7	24.9	13	1.8	8.1
	Other EB related	-	-	-	1	-	0.1
Non-EB related
	Remuneration	1	np	np	-	-	-
	Employment conditions	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Health and safety	4	1.1	1.4	2	0.6	0.3
	Job security	1	np	np	-	-	-
	Managerial policy	2	0.2	0.1	-	-	-
	Union issues	1	np	np	-	-	-
	Other Non EB related	-	-	-	1	1.0	0.8
Total		18	2.3	26.8	25	3.8	11.2

- 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 25 disputes which ended in the June quarter, 17 lasted for 2 days or less.

5 Working days lost for disputes which ended during the quarter
	March Quarter 2021			June Quarter 2021
	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	7	np	np	13	2.4	1.7
Over 1 day and up to including 2 days	6	0.8	1.4	4	0.2	0.3
Over 2 and less than 5 days	2	np	np	3	0.8	2.7
5 and less than 10 days	2	0.1	0.8	2	0.4	3.0
10 days and over	1	0.4	23.8	3	0.2	3.5
Total	18	2.3	26.8	25	3.8	11.2

- 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.

Negotiation without intervention of a third party and Pre-determined return to work each accounted for 88% of disputes (22 of 25) which ended in the June quarter 2021.

6 Reason work resumed for disputes which ended during the quarter
	March Quarter 2021			June Quarter 2021
	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	6	1	24.4	6	0.4	3.1
State legislation	-	-	-	1	np	np
Federal legislation	4	0.4	0.3	-	-	-
Pre-determined return to work	6	0.3	1.1	16	3.2	6.6
Resumption without negotiation	1	-	-	1	np	np
Mediation	1	0.5	1.1	1	0.1	1.4
Other reasons	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	18	2.3	26.8	25	3.8	11.2

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

Data downloads

In line with updating to more recent technology formats, ABS will be progressively transitioning to Excel files in .XLSX format from 3 December 2021. This means the time series spreadsheets in Industrial Disputes, Australia, will be upgraded from the current .XLS to now be released in .XLSX. While this change will improve usability, it may also require changes to automated macros or similar programs that users may have in place that call on the current file extension format.

This change will take effect from the December quarter 2021 Industrial Disputes, Australia, to be released in March 2022. The file format for previously released data will not change.

Revisions

Revisions have been made to the June quarter 2021 data by industry, including the number of working days lost and working days lost per thousand employees in the Construction and Transport, postal and warehousing industries. These revisions are reflected in Table 2 and the associated time series spreadsheets.

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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 [107.5 KB]

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

Download xls [105.5 KB]

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

Download xls [154.5 KB]

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

Download xls [144 KB]

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

Download xls [358.5 KB]

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

Download xls [154.5 KB]

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

Download xls [272 KB]

Upcoming changes

Thematic grouping and navigation for labour statistics on the ABS website

Labour statistics have traditionally been organised into two thematic groupings on the ABS website: 'Employment and unemployment'; and 'Earnings and work hours'. The ABS is planning to update these themes to better reflect the current range of available labour statistics, better align key labour market concepts with website themes and navigation, and improve discoverability. The planned new themes are:

Employment and unemployment
Jobs
Earnings and working conditions
Labour accounts

These new thematic groupings and navigation (and the statistical releases which will appear under each theme) can be viewed on our Beta website, at beta.abs.gov.au.

The Industrial Disputes publication will be included within the 'Earnings and working conditions' grouping.

The key changes include:

addition of a 'Jobs' theme - to reflect the increasing range of jobs-related data ABS is releasing - including Weekly payroll jobs and wages and Jobs in Australia (currently in 'Earnings and work hours'), in addition to the longstanding statistics on Job vacancies and Job mobility (currently in 'Employment and unemployment').
addition of a 'Labour accounts' theme - for cross-cutting quarterly and annual labour account data on jobs, people, hours and payments (currently in 'Employment and unemployment').
renaming the 'Earnings and work hours' theme to 'Earnings and working conditions' - to provide a clearer pathway the large range of information available on working conditions beyond wages (work arrangements, flexibility, workplace relations, etc) and reflect that key hours data are available from the 'Employment and unemployment' theme (from the monthly Labour Force Survey) and the Labour account.

The changes are expected to be implemented in the first half of 2022. While implementation of these changes will result in a change to the placement of some statistical releases, and their respective URL's, there will be automatic redirects put in place. These redirects will ensure that existing URL's and bookmarks will continue to work.

If you have any feedback or questions on this new approach, please email us at labour.statistics@abs.gov.au.

Inquiries

For inquiries 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, September 2021

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