Twenty-eight work stoppages ended in the year to December 2003, according to Statistics New Zealand. This was a decrease of 18 stoppages from the December 2002 year. The number of employees involved, loss of wages and salaries, and person-days of work lost, also decreased over the same period.

The 28 work stoppages that ended in the December 2003 year involved 5,098 employees and resulted in a loss of $4.2 million and 19,390 person-days of work. Loss of wages and salaries per employee increased to $832 and was driven by an increase in person-days lost per employee of 3.8 days when compared with the December 2002 year.

Thirteen work stoppages ended in the December 2003 quarter, involving 1,428 employees and resulting in the loss of $222,000 in wages and salaries and 1,417 person-days of work.

Disputes arising from wage provisions of the employment agreement continue to be the main cause of work stoppages in New Zealand, accounting for 18 stoppages in the December 2003 year.

Of the 28 stoppages that occurred in the year to December 2003, 24 had their underlying disputes resolved. Of those 24 stoppages, 14 were resolved through mediation services provided by the Department of Labour, or a private provider. There were four stoppages that ended without the underlying dispute being resolved.

There were two ongoing stoppages at the end of December 2003.