INDUSTRIAL disputes in the education and health sectors have led to the North-East topping a national table for the number of working days lost last year.

While the number of days lost to industrial disputes in the region in 2016 was almost half the 30,000 average for the past ten years, rows between junior doctors and the Government and teaching assistants and Durham County Council meant saw it share the most working days lost per worker with London.

It is the fifth time in a decade the North-East has topped the table.

The Office for National Statistics found 16,700 working days were lost last year due to industrial disputes in the North-East, 26,300 in Yorkshire and 78,100 in London, but due to its smaller number of workers, the North-East came joint top in the table.

The report shows in the North-East 5,600 people were involved in 8,500 working days being lost in education and 1,000 people were involved in 6,200 working days being lost in health and social work.

In Yorkshire, action by 11,900 people led to 7,700 working days in education and action by 23,900 people led to 9,900 in health and social work being lost.

There were low figures in sectors traditionally associated with industrial action, with just 600 working days lost in manufacturing in the North-East and 800 in transport, storage, information and communication.

Nationally, the total of 322,300 working days lost was the eighth lowest since records began in 1891.

The junior doctors' dispute over new contracts in England accounted for 129,000 lost working days - 40 per cent of the total.

There were 154,000 workers involved in disputes last year, higher than the record low of 81,000 in 2015 but still low by historical levels.

The ONS said the amount of industrial action has reduced significantly in the last 30 years.

More than 1.5 million workers, including miners, dockers, printers and railwaymen, joined the General Strike in 1926.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Going on strike is always a last resort when bosses refuse to negotiate or compromise. Strikes are

far less common these days and tend to be short.

"With the average annual wage still worth £1,000 less than a decade ago, it is not surprising that many strikes are about fair pay.

"To keep strikes at historic lows, the next government needs to get wages rising, and we need new laws to improve workplace rights and give people more voice at work."