Days lost to work stoppages decline

Estimated wage and salary losses from work stoppages rose in the September quarter from the previous three months, but were down on the same period a year earlier.

Statistics New Zealand put the estimated losses in the September 2006 quarter at $1.7 million, with 11,641 person-days of work lost in 10 stoppages involving 1727 employees.

In June 2006 estimated losses were $1.5 million, from 5107 person-days lost, involving 2578 employees in 10 stoppages.

Work stoppage numbers had declined from more than 400 a year in the late 1970s to relatively steady levels of fewer than 100 since the 1990s.

- NZPA