The number of days lost to industrial action fell significantly in the first quarter of 2007.
A drop of almost 50 per cent was recorded by the Central Statistics Office, which reported today that 1,797 days were lost to industrial disputes in the first quarter of 2007, compared with 3,407 days lost for the same period last year.
A total of 435 workers were involved in the disputes, which affected three companies.
The manufacturing sector accounted for 50 per cent of the total days lost in March, with 900 days lost by some 300 workers who engaged an overtime ban and one-day stoppages at Liebherr Container Cranes in Kerry.
The next most common area where industrial dispute accounted for days lost was in the public service where 107 workers at Fáilte Ireland lost 837 days.
Sixty days were also lost at Dublin Port in February where 28 workers were involved in industrial action.