HL Deb 26 March 1985 vol 461 cc1018-20WA
Lord McCarthy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many stoppages of work due to industrial disputes known to be official took place in each year from 1963 to the most recent year for which figures are available, how many workers were involved and how many working days lost, and for each year what percentage each figure represented of the total for all stoppages.

The Minister without Portfolio (Lord Young of Graffham)

The available information is given in the table below. Details of stoppages known to be official ceased to be published after 1981 due to the practical difficulties in distinguishing stoppages as official or otherwise.

Lord McCarthy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many stoppages of work due to industrial disputes took place in each of the following industry groups in each year from 1963 to the most recent year for which figures are available, how many workers were involved and how many working days were lost, and for each year what percentage each figure represented of the total for all stoppages:

  1. (a) mining and quarrying;
  2. (b) iron, including castings, and steel, including tubes;

STOPPAGES BEGINNING IN YEAR

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
Industry Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage
Mining and quarrying 993 48.0 1.063 42.1 743 31.6 556 28.7 399 18.9 227 9.5 193 6.2 165 4.2 138 6.2 229 9.2
Iron, including castings and steel including tubes 52 2.5 92 3.6 103 4.4 71 3.7 106 5.0 106 4.5 169 5.4 251 6.4 118 5.3 163 6.5
Gas, electricity and water 5 0.2 17 0.7 16 0.7 8 0.4 13 0.6 14 0.6 31 1.0 20 0.5 8 0.4 12 0.5
Railways 5 0.2 5 0.2 16 0.7 11 0.6 13 0.6 11 0.5 10 0.3 29 0.7 8 0.4 3 0.1
Port and inland water transport 80 3.9 102 4.0 81 3.4 81 4.2 97 4.6 193 8.1 368 11.8 259 6.6 151 6.8 137 5.5
Public administration and defence 5 0.2 16 0.6 15 0.6 17 0.9 12 0.6 48 2.0 53 1.7 66 1.7 23 1.0 39 1.6
TOTAL (of above groups) 1.140 55.1 1.295 51.3 974 41.4 744 38.4 640 30.2 599 25.2 824 26.4 790 20.2 446 20.0 583 23.3
ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES 2.068 100.0 2.524 100.0 2.354 100.0 1.937 100.0 2.116 100.0 2.378 100.0 3.116 100.0 3.906 100.0 2.228 100.0 2.497 100.0

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Industry Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage
Mining and quarrying 305 10.6 196 6.7 217 9.5 283 14.0 272 10.1 351 14.2 309 14.9 310 23.3 305 22.8 404 26.4
Iron, including castings and steel, including tubes 163 5.7 176 6.0 120 5.3 123 6.1 129 4.8 113 4.6 90 4.3 38 2.9 24 1.8 29 1.9
Gas, electricity and water 12 0.4 23 0.8 14 0.6 26 1.3 26 1.0 16 0.6 20 1.0 11 0.8 10 0.7 9 0.6
Railways 5 0.2 11 0.4 8 0.4 5 0.2 2 0.1 12 0.5 13 0.6 13 1.0 16 1.2 14 0.9
Port and inland water transport 147 5.1 120 4.1 80 3.5 87 4.3 118 4.4 74 3.0 74 3.6 54 4.1 51 3.8 60 3.9
Public administration and defence 52 1.8 84 2.9 59 2.6 60 3.0 65 2.4 78 3.2 71 3.4 51 3.8 49 3.7 63 4.1
TOTAL (of above groups) 684 23.8 610 20.9 498 21.8 584 29.0 612 22.6 644 26.1 577 27.7 477 35.9 455 34.0 579 37.9
ALL INDUSTRIES 2.873 100.0 2.922 100.0 2.282 100.0 2.016 100.0 2.703 100.0 2.471 100.0 2.080 100.0 1.330 100.0 1.338 100.0 1.528 100.0
Note Figure for 1963 to 1969 are based on SIC 1958 and those for 1970 to 1982 on SIC 1968. This change in classification had comparatively little effect on the above industrial groupings.

WORKERS INVOLVED IN STOPPAGES IN PROGRESS IN YEAR

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
Industry Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage
Mining and quarrying 152.6 25.8 173.4 19.6 118.0 13.5 50.5 9.3 41.6 5.7 30.3 1.3 145.7 8.8 117.7 6.5 23.0 2.0 342.3 19.7
Iron, including castings and steel including tubes 18.7 3.2 30.3 3.4 30.3 3.5 18.1 3.3 38.8 5.3 118.5 5.2 68.9 4.1 63.1 3.5 58.1 4.9 73.8 4.3
Gas, electricity and water 1.1 0.2 2.9 0.3 3.7 0.4 2.2 0.4 3.7 0.5 3.0 0.1 10.9 0.7 3.0 0.2 1.1 0.1 11.4 0.7
Railways 0.7 0.1 2.3 0.3 3.5 0.4 2.0 0.4 12.5 1.7 1.6 0.1 2.1 0.1 14.4 0.8 2.2 0.2 22.5 1.3
Port and inland water transport 27.8 4.7 114.8 13.0 63.0 7.2 65.4 12.0 78.3 10.7 79.0 3.5 194.6 11.9 197.9 11.0 73.7 6.3 180.5 10.4
Public Administration and defence 1.8 0.3 1.5 0.2 1.5 0.2 2.7 0.5 1.1 0.1 9.1 0.4 28.3 1.7 106.7 5.9 1.2 0.1 6.1 0.4
TOTAL (of above groups) 202.7 34.2 325.2 36.8 220.0 25.1 140.9 25.9 176.0 24.0 241.5 10.7 450.5 27.1 502.8 27.9 159.3 13.5 636.6 36.7
ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES 592.5 100.0 883.0 100.0 876.4 100.0 543.9 100.0 73.7 100.0 2.257.6 100.0 1.665.0 100.0 1.800.7 100.0 1.178.2 100.0 1.734.4 100.0

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Industry Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage
Mining and quarrying 46.7 3.1 307.4 18.9 28.2 3.5 39.0 5.8 54.5 4.7 105.0 10.1 54.3 1.2 87.3 10.5 97.9 6.5 225.5 10.7
Iron, including castings and steel including tubes 95.9 6.3 76.3 4.7 57.1 7.1 46.7 7.0 40.9 3.5 38.5 3.7 68.2 1.5 179.7 21.6 7.1 0.5 77.6 3.7
Gas, electricity and water 26.1 1.7 8.1 0.5 4.5 0.6 27.8 4.2 20.5 1.8 5.5 0.5 9.7 0.2 1.8 0.2 4.0 0.3 52.5 2.5
Railways 25.4 1.7 24.8 1.5 3.5 0.4 5.4 0.8 0.2 0.01 1.8 0.2 25.3 0.5 13.3 1.6 2.3 0.2 153.5 7.3
Port and inland water transport 72.1 4.7 49.3 3.0 37.7 4.7 19.2 2.9 29.3 2.5 23.1 2.2 19.1 0.4 34.3 4.1 25.2 1.7 32.5 1.5
Public Administration and defence 206.4 13.5 21.1 1.3 10.0 1.2 7.1 1.1 118.9 10.2 73.2 7.0 1,090.1 23.7 85.9 10.3 758.6 50.2 233.2 11.1
TOTAL (of above groups) 472.6 30.9 487.0 29.9 141.0 17.4 145.2 21.7 264.3 22.7 247.1 23.7 1,266.7 27.5 402.3 48.3 895.9 59.2 774.8 36.8
ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES 1,527.6 100.0 1,626.4 100.0 808.9 100.0 668.0 100.0 1,165.8 100.0 1,041.5 100.0 4,607.8 100.0 833.7 100.0 1,521.5 100.0 2,102.9 100.0
Note Figures for 1963 to 1969 are based on SIC 1958 and those for 1970 to 1982 on SIC 1968. This Change in classification had comparatively little effect on the above industrial groupings.

WORKING DAYS LOST THROUGH STOPPAGES IN PROGRESS IN YEAR

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
Industry Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage Number (000s) Percentage
Mining and quarrying 326 18.6 309 13.6 413 14.1 118 4.9 108 3.9 57 1.2 1.041 15.2 1.092 9.9 65 0.5 10.800 45.2
Iron, including castings and steel including tubes 68 3.9 324 14.2 180 6.2 92 3.8 155 5.6 284 6.1 429 6.3 443 4.0 314 2.3 572 2.4
Gas, electricity and water 2 0.1 12 0.5 14 0.5 2 0.1 9 0.3 7 0.1 18 0.3 21 0.2 5 0.04 17 0.1
Railways 2 0.1 4 0.2 10 0.3 9 0.4 71 2.5 3 0.1 4 0.1 53 0.5 5 0.04 27 0.1
Port and inland water transport 46 2.6 129 5.7 105 3.6 134 5.6 606 21.7 114 2.4 424 6.2 727 6.6 173 1.3 773 3.2
Public administration and defence 3 0.2 5 0.2 8 0.3 10 0.4 1 0.04 43 0.9 179 2.6 1.100 10.0 4 0.03 27 0.1
TOTAL (of above groups) 447 25.5 783 34.4 730 25.0 365 15.2 950 34.1 508 10.8 2.095 30.6 3.436 31.3 566 4.2 12.216 51.1
ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES 1.755 100.0 2.277 100.0 2.925 100.0 2.398 100.0 2.787 100.0 4.690 100.0 6.846 100.0 10.980 100.0 13.551 100.0 23.909 100.0

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
Industry Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage(000s) Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage
Mining and quarrying 91 1.3 5.628 38.2 56 0.9 78 2.4 97 1.0 201 2.1 128 0.4 166 1.4 237 5.6 374 7.0
Iron, including castings and steel including tubes 459 6.4 584 4.0 292 4.9 274 8.3 577 5.7 277 2.9 518 1.8 8.671 72.5 39 0.9 94 1.8
Gas, electricity and water 313 4.3 57 0.4 10 0.2 52 1.6 83 0.8 65 0.7 38 0.1 19 0.2 20 0.5 51 1.0
Railways 48 0.7 38 0.3 9 0.1 13 0.4 — — 3 0.03 102 0.3 15 0.1 5 0.1 1.197 22.5
Port and inland water transport 154 2.1 122 0.8 324 5.4 42 1.3 1 17 1.2 97 1.0 95 0.3 144 1.2 134 3.1 106 2.0
Public administration and defence 202 2.8 194 1.3 128 2.1 63 1.9 1.133 11.2 518 5.5 2.363 8.0 79 0.7 1.076 25.2 291 5.5
TOTAL (of above groups) 1,267 17.6 6.621 44.9 819 13.6 522 15.9 2.007 19.8 1.161 12.3 3.244 11.0 9.094 76.0 1.511 35.4 2.113 39.8
ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES 7.197 100.0 14.750 100.0 6.012 100.0 3.284 100.0 10.142 100.0 9.405 100.0 29.474 100.0 11.964 100.0 14.266 100.0 5.313 100.0
Note: Figures for 1961 to 1969 are based on SIC 1958 and those for 1970 to 1982 on SIC 1968. This change in classification has comparatively little effect on the above industrial groupings.

STOPPAGES BEGINNING IN PERIOD WORKERS INVOLVED IN STOPPAGES IN PROGRESS WORKING DAYS LOST IN STOPPAGES IN PROGRESS
Industry 1982 1983 1984(P) 1982 1983 1984(P) 1982 1983 1984(P)
Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage Number(000s) Percentage
Coal Extraction 404 26.4 355 26.3 78 6.8 225.7 10.7 133.2 23.2 279.9 19.9 377 7.1 484 12.9 22.264 83.8
Metal Processing and Manufacture 30 2.0 34 2.5 18 1.6 79.8 3.8 15.4 2.7 3.5 0.2 103 1.9 142 3.8 18 0.1
Electricity, Gas, Other Energy and Water 11 0.7 14 1.0 17 1.5 53.5 2.5 37.5 6.5 6.4 0.5 52 1.0 780 20.8 35 0.1
Railways 12 0.7 11 0.8 .. .. 143.4 6.8 1.8 0.3 .. .. 1,122 21.1 3 0.1 .. ..
Transport Services 65 4.3 43 3.2 37 3.2 32.9 1.6 10.5 1.8 50.8 3.6 107 2.0 109 2.9 377 1.4
Public Administration, Education and Health Service 80 5.2 81 6.0 148 12.8 320.4 15.2 40.2 7.0 402.8 28.7 389 7.3 115 3.1 738 2.8
Total (of above groups) 602 39.4 538 39.8 .. .. 855.7 40.7 238.6 41.6 .. .. 2.150 40.5 1.633 43.5 ..
ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES 1.528 100.0 1,352 100.0 1,134 100.0 2,102.9 100.0 573.8 100.0 1,405.3 100.0 5,313 100.0 3.754 100.0 26.564 100.0

Note

The above figures are based on SIC 1980 and not are strictly comparable with those for earlier years.

(P) Provisional

ֵ Separate figures for railways not yet available.

(c) gas, electricity and water;

(d) railways;

(e) port and inland water transport;

(f) public administration and defence; and

(g) the above groups taken together.

Lord Young of Graffham

The available information is given in the tables below. Comparisons over time are affected by changes in the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC).