Resumed figures confirm summer of strikes

The number of strikes in the UK dramatically increased in June and July compared to recent years, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show, confirming the depth of the resurgence in industrial action this year (see previous issues).

In June 2022, 70,500 working days were lost as a result of labour disputes, an increase of 51,000 compared with the 2019 average. In July the figure was 87,600 working days, a rise of 68,100 compared with the average.

The figures mark a welcome return for the data source, which the ONS suspended in April 2020 as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic. From November 2022 onwards, it says, it plans to publish labour disputes as part of the monthly UK labour market release.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/labourdisputesukjuly2022updateandfuturework