FOR RELEASE 10:00 A.M. (EST) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2023 USDL-11-0153
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MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2023
In 2010, there were 11 major strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 or more workers and lasting
at least one shift, the second lowest annual total since the major work stoppages series began in
1947, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The series low for major work stoppages
beginning in a calendar year was 5 in 2009. The 11 major work stoppages in 2010 idled 45,000
workers for 302,000 lost workdays, a large increase compared to 2009 record lows, with 5 stoppages
idling 13,000 workers for 124,000 lost workdays.//WKSTP QCT TEST ZUNI3 08282024//
Average annual major work stoppages have continued to decline by decade. From 2001-2010,
there were approximately 17 major work stoppages on average per year, compared with 34 per year
from 1991-2000, 69 from 1981-1990, and 269 from 1971-1980. (See chart 1.) Total days idle from
major work stoppages from 2001-2010 have also declined over 90 percent from 1971-1980. (See
chart 2.)
The longest work stoppage beginning in 2010 was between Temple University Hospital and the
Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals, lasting 21 workdays with 1,500
workers accounting for 31,500 lost workdays. The largest work stoppage in 2010 in terms of number
of workers and total workdays idle was the Chicago area construction strike between the Mid-America
Regional Bargaining Association and the Laborers International Union of North America District
Council of Chicago, International Union of Operating Engineers, and Chicago Regional Council of
Carpenters, with 15,000 workers accounting for 180,000 lost workdays. (See table 2.)
TECHNICAL NOTE
The major work stoppages series dates back to 1947. The term "major work stoppage" includes
both worker-initiated strikes and employer-initiated lockouts that involve 1,000 workers or more
and lasting at least one shift. BLS does not distinguish between lockouts and strikes in its
statistics.
Information on work stoppages is obtained from reports from the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service, State labor market information offices, BLS Strike Reports from the Office
of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, and from major media sources. One or both parties
involved in the work stoppage (employer or union) is contacted to verify the duration and number
of workers idled by the stoppage.
Days of idleness is calculated by multiplying the number of workers involved in the strike
or lockout by the number of days workers are off the job. The number of working days lost for
every major work stoppage is based on a 5-day workweek (Monday through Friday), excluding Federal
holidays.
Monthly major work stoppages data
The Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles detailed monthly statistics on major work stoppages
at http://www.bls.gov/wsp.
Detailed data for each major work stoppage since 1993 includes the organization involved,
location, beginning and ending work stoppage dates, the number of workers, and days idle.
Monthly time series data since 1981 have been published
(http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymost?ws) for the following tables:
* Number of work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more beginning in the period
* Number of work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more in effect in the period
* Number of workers involved in work stoppages beginning in the period
* Number of workers involved in work stoppages in effect in the period
* Days of idleness resulting from work stoppages in effect in the period
* Days of idleness resulting from work stoppages in effect in the period, as a percent
of estimated working time
Major work stoppages detailed information and measures
For more information on Work Stoppages methods and measures, see "Chapter 8. National
Compensation Measures" of the BLS Handbook of Methods at: www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch8.pdf.
Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers, 1947-2010
Number of Days idle(2)
work Numbers of
stoppages workers
Period beginning involved Percent of
in (thousands)- Number estimated
period (1) (thousands) working
time(3)
2010............................... 11 45 302 (4)
2009............................... 5 13 124 (4)
2008............................... 15 72 1,954 .01
2007............................... 21 189 1,265 (4)
2006............................... 20 70 2,688 .01
2005............................... 22 100 1,736 .01
2004............................... 17 171 3,344 .01
2003............................... 14 129 4,091 .01
2002............................... 19 46 660 (4)
2001............................... 29 99 1,151 (4)
2000............................... 39 394 20,419 .06
1999............................... 17 73 1,996 .01
1998............................... 34 387 5,116 .02
1997............................... 29 339 4,497 .01
1996............................... 37 273 4,889 .02
1995............................... 31 192 5,771 .02
1994............................... 45 322 5,021 .02
1993............................... 35 182 3,981 .01
1992............................... 35 364 3,989 .01
1991............................... 40 392 4,584 .02
1990............................... 44 185 5,926 .02
1989............................... 51 452 16,996 .07
1988............................... 40 118 4,381 .02
1987............................... 46 174 4,481 .02
1986............................... 69 533 11,861 .05
1985............................... 54 324 7,079 .03
1984............................... 62 376 8,499 .04
1983............................... 81 909 17,461 .08
1982............................... 96 656 9,061 .04
1981............................... 145 729 16,908 .07
1980............................... 187 795 20,844 .09
1979............................... 235 1,021 20,409 .09
1978............................... 219 1,006 23,774 .11
1977............................... 298 1,212 21,258 .10
1976............................... 231 1,519 23,962 .12
1975............................... 235 965 17,563 .09
1974............................... 424 1,796 31,809 .16
1973............................... 317 1,400 16,260 .08
1972............................... 250 975 16,764 .09
1971............................... 298 2,516 35,538 .19
1970............................... 381 2,468 52,761 .29
1969............................... 412 1,576 29,397 .16
1968............................... 392 1,855 35,367 .20
1967............................... 381 2,192 31,320 .18
1966............................... 321 1,300 16,000 .10
1965............................... 268 999 15,140 .10
1964............................... 246 1,183 16,220 .11
1963............................... 181 512 10,020 .07
1962............................... 211 793 11,760 .08
1961............................... 195 1,031 10,140 .07
1960............................... 222 896 13,260 .09
1959............................... 245 1,381 60,850 .43
1958............................... 332 1,587 17,900 .13
1957............................... 279 887 10,340 .07
1956............................... 287 1,370 26,840 .20
1955............................... 363 2,055 21,180 .16
1954............................... 265 1,075 16,630 .13
1953............................... 437 1,623 18,130 .14
1952............................... 470 2,746 48,820 .38
1951............................... 415 1,462 15,070 .12
1950............................... 424 1,698 30,390 .26
1949............................... 262 2,537 43,420 .38
1948............................... 245 1,435 26,127 .22
1947............................... 270 1,629 25,720 (5)
1 Number of workers involved includes only those workers who participated in work
stoppages that began in the calendar year. Workers are counted more than once if they
are involved in more than one stoppage during the reference period. Numbers are rounded
to the nearest thousand.
2 Days idle includes all stopages in effect during the reference period. For work
stoppages that are still ongoing at the end of the calendar year, only those days of
idleness in the calendar year are counted.
3 Agricultural and government employees are included in the calculation of estimated
working time; private households, forestry, and fishery employees are excluded.
4 Less than .005.
5 Data not available.
Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2010
Industry Beginning Ending Number of
Organizations involved, code(1) date date workers(2) Days idle
location, and sector
Temple University Hospital
Philadelphia, PA,
Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses &
Allied Professionals
State Government........................... 622110 3/31/10 4/28/10 1,500 31,500
North Penn School District
Montgomery County, PA,
North Penn Education Association
Local Government........................... 611110 4/19/10 4/26/10 1,100 6,600
Capistrano Unified School District
San Juan Capistrano area, CA,
Capistrano Unified Educators Association
Local Government........................... 611110 4/22/10 4/26/10 1,800 5,400
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland, CA,
Oakland Education Association
Local Government........................... 611110 4/29/10 4/29/10 2,500 2,500
The Boeing Company
Long Beach, CA,
United Auto Workers
Local 148
Private Industry........................... 336411 5/11/10 6/04/10 1,700 30,600
Allina Health System/United Hospital,
Children's Hospitals and Clinics,
Fairview Health Services,
HealthEast Care System,
Mercy Hospital,
North Memorial Hospital,
Park Nicollete Methodist Hospital,
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN,
Minnesota Nurses Association
Private Industry........................... 622110 6/10/10 6/10/10 12,000 12,000
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
Contractors Association of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI,
Sheet Metal Workers'
International Association
Local 18
Private Industry........................... 238220 6/14/10 6/25/10 1,800 18,000
Mid-America Regional Bargaining
Association
Chicago area, IL,
Laborers International Union
of North America
District Council of Chicago,
International Union of
Operating Engineers,
Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters
Private Industry........................... 237310 7/01/10 7/19/10 15,000 180,000
New York Shipping Association/New Jersey,
New York City area, NJ, NY,
International Longshoremen's Association
Private Industry........................... 488310 9/28/10 9/29/10 4,500 9,000
Hilton Hotels Hawaiian Village
Beach Resort & Spa
Honolulu, HI,
UNITE HERE Local 5
Private Industry........................... 721110 10/14/10 10/18/10 1,500 4,500
HCA Corporation, Riverside Community
Hospital and West Hills
Hospital and Medical Center
Riverside and West Hills, CA,
Service Employees International Union
Local 121RN
Private Industry........................... 622110 12/23/10 12/28/10 1,100 2,200
1 Industry code is from the 2007 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System).
2 The number of workers involved is rounded to the nearest 100.
United States Department of Labor
