The strike-proneness of public-sector organizations

Abstract

Through the use of a unique and original data bank on Irish strike data, this paper analyses strike trends at a disaggregated level, using degree of organisation involvement in strikes as the focal point of analysis. We review national strike trends over the period 1960-1979 and identify some fundamental differences in the strike patterns of the public and private sectors. We then concentrate on the most strike-prone sector, the public sector, and proceed to identify those organisations which are responsible for most strike activity. The paper also discusses why these organisations continue to be consistently more strike-prone than other areas of the public sector.