Industrial disputes rise briefly in 1996
James Vassilopoulos
The number of working days lost to strikes in 1996 was just under 1 million, an increase of 69% over the 1995 calendar year. This was the highest level of industrial activity for four years, although it was still much lower than before the 1991 recession.
According to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on March 18, 319,800 working days were lost in the construction industry, 250,600 in education, health and community services and 160,500 in coal mining in 1996. These three industries made up 79% of all strikes in 1996.
There were 523 disputes in 1996. Just over half were caused by management policy, which includes working out new awards or agreements, work practices, roster complaints and retrenchments. Sixteen per cent of the strikes involved physical working conditions and safety issues, and 13% involved wages.
Duration of the disputes was almost always very short; 81% of them were over in two days or less. Only four disputes lasted for 20 days or more.
A closer examination of the strike figures for 1996 shows that the greatest period of industrial activity was from May through August. These four months accounted for 60% of the year's industrial disputes.
These figures mirror the brief union fight back against the newly elected Liberal government. Initially there was some union action against Howard. But after the August 19 union-led rally in Canberra, the union movement almost as a whole gave up the fight.
In December only 27,200 working days were lost, a reduction of 77% on the August figure.
Working days lost per 1000 employees for the month of December clearly reveal the most militant and strongly organised sectors: coal mining 7171 days lost per 1000 workers; construction 852; education, health and community services 196; the metal industry 146.