Job disputes cost more than 5,000 days in six months
A total of 5,208 work days were lost to job disputes in the first half of 2006, Central Statistics Office figures showed today.
One strike in the construction industry involved 212 workers and cost 3,392 days while two stoppages in manufacturing resulted in 1,005 lost days.
There was one strike in each of the categories of public administration and defence and health and social work, which comprised 663 and 148 days respectively.
There were almost five times more days lost in the second quarter as the first quarter due to three new disputes beginning in April, May and June.
A total of 1,801 days were lost in the second quarter, compared to 1,556 for the same period in 2005.
Meanwhile CSO figures for milk production showed that consumers drank 45 million litres in August – a 1.7% drop on the same month last year.
Butter production also decreased by 10.3% to 14,800 tonnes.
Creameries and pasteurisers took in 569.5 million litres, a rise of 1.8% above the August 2005 figure.
