Work stoppages up - first time since 2005

Locked out Auckland bus drivers at a union meeting last October. Photo / Richard Robinson

The number of work stoppages has increased for the first time since 2005, figures out today reveal.

Statistics New Zealand said there were 26 work stoppages in the year ended December 2009, compared with 23 in the previous year.

Stoppages last year involved 8705 employees, losses of 13,942 days of work and an estimated $2.4 million in wages and salaries.

The 26 stoppages consisted of 20 complete strikes, five partial strikes, and one lockout.

While the manufacturing industry accounted for 23 per cent of all stoppages during the year, the transport, postal and warehousing industry both had the largest number of employees and highest estimated loss in wages and salaries.

Industrial action and a lockout of Auckland bus drivers and cleaners across seven days last October helped push the tally up, with 875 employees involved.

Disputes were resolved in 11 of the 26 work stoppages last year. Seven of those were resolved through negotiation between the employer and employee or their representatives.

Four stoppages were resolved through mediation services provided by the Department of Labour.