Industrial disputes have fallen to a record low in Western Australia, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.
Employment Protection Minister John Bowler said WA experienced a record low 1.2 working days lost per thousand employees in the June quarter.
"This figure is down from 2.5 working days lost per thousand employees in the March quarter," Mr Bowler said.
"Industrial disputation under the Carpenter Government is significantly less than under the previous Coalition Government. In fact, this quarter's figures are the lowest experienced under any government.
"Under the Court government, days lost per thousand employees were as high as
71.9, reflecting widespread discontent with the Kierath workplace agreement system.
"The current record low level is the fourth lowest level of industrial disputation among the States and Territories, and well below the Australian average of 3.4 days lost per thousand employees."
The Minister said the Federal Government could try to claim credit for the low figures through its draconian Workchoices legislation.
However, those laws applied to all States and it was clear WA was succeeding because of its tripartite approach to conciliation, rather than confrontation.
Mr Bowler said the absolute number of working days lost in WA also declined in the June quarter from 2,300 to 1,100.
"WA accounted for about four per cent of the working days lost Australia-wide, while contributing approximately 10 per cent of the national workforce," he said.
"Significantly, WA fell below the national average for disputation in the construction sector, with WA recording 4.1 days lost per thousand employees, compared with the Australian average of 7.6.
"Victoria maintains the highest level of disputation in construction, losing 16.7 days per thousand employees."
