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Major Work Stoppages (Annual) News Release


Information:                                        USDL 08-0202
     (202) 691-6275  WorkStoppagesInfo@bls.gov
Media Contact:                                      FOR RELEASE: 10:00 A.M. EST
     (202) 691-5902                                 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008
Internet Address:
     http://www.bls.gov/wsp


                                MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2007

     Major work stoppages idled 189,000 workers for 1.3 million workdays in 2007, the
U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.  In 2007, the largest
major work stoppage in total days idle was between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television
Producers and the Writers Guild of America East and West, with 10,500 workers accounting for
409,500 lost workdays.  The largest work stoppage in number of workers was between General
Motors Corporation and the United Auto Workers, with 74,000 General Motors workers involved in
the two day work stoppage.

     There were 21 lockouts and strikes involving 1,000 or more workers in 2007.  For 2006, there
were 20 stoppages involving 70,000 workers with 2.7 million workdays of idleness. (See table 1
and charts A-F.)  Of the 21 major work stoppages beginning in 2007, 12 were in private industry
and nine were in State and local governments. In private industry, eight work stoppages occurred
in goods-producing industries along with four in service-providing industries.  Of the nine work
stoppages in State and local governments, five were in transportation and warehousing and four
were in educational services.  In 2007, State and local government work stoppages accounted
for just over one-third of total workers idled, but only 15 percent of lost workdays.

     The mean length of a work stoppage in 2007 was 10.5 days, down from 26.5 days in 2006.
Numerous work stoppages in 2007 were short in duration with six work stoppages lasting 2 days or
less. (See table A.)

     The major work stoppages series, which dates back to 1947, covers strikes and lockouts
involving 1,000 or more employees and lasting at least one full shift.  For work stoppages that
began prior to 2007, only days of idleness in calendar year 2007 are counted.


Table A. Duration of work stoppages beginning in 2007, 2006, and 2005
Duration              2007              2006              2005
                 Number  Percent   Number  Percent   Number  Percent
1-2 days           6       29         5      25        4        18
3-10 days          6       29         6      30        8        36
11-30 days         7       33         6      30        6        27
31-50 days         2       10         1       5        1         5
>50 days           0        0         2      10        3        14


  Note:  Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding.  The annual numbers represent
the total duration of all work stoppages initiated during each calendar year.


Table B.  Number of work stoppages by the number of workers idled in 2007, 2006, and 2005
Number of workers idled              2007              2006              2005
                                Number  Percent   Number  Percent   Number  Percent
1,000 to 1,999                    8       38        10      50        11      50
2,000 to 2,999                    2       10         2      10         5      23
3,000 to 4,999                    4       19         3      15         2       9
5,000 to 7,499                    3       14         2      10         2       9
7,500 to 9,999                    0        0         2      10         0       0
10,000 to 19,999                  1        5         1       5         1       5
20,000 or more                    3       14         0       0         1       5


  Note:  Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding.


Table C.  Number of work stoppages by number of work days idled in 2007, 2006, and 2005
Number of days of idleness           2007              2006              2005
                                Number  Percent   Number  Percent   Number  Percent
1,000 to 4,999                    2       10        2       10        3       14
5,000 to 9,999                    3       14        5       25        4       18
10,000 to 14,999                  3       14        2       10        1        5
15,000 to 19,999                  3       14        2       10        4       18
20,000 to 29,999                  1        5        2       10        2        9
30,000 to 49,999                  4       19        2       10        2        9
50,000 to 99,999                  1        5        1        5        2        9
100,000 to 299,999                3       14        2       10        2        9
300,000 or more                   1        5        2       10        2        9


  Note:  Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding.  The annual numbers represent
the number of work days idled of all work stoppages initiated during each calendar year.


     The term "major work stoppage" includes both worker-initiated strikes and employer-initiated
lockouts that involve 1,000 workers or more. 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 media sources such as the Daily Labor Report
and the Wall Street Journal. 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 taking the number of workers involved in the strike or
lock-out and multiplying it by the number of days workers are off the job.

     For detailed monthly and annual work stoppage statistics, please visit http://www.bls.gov/wsp.




Table 1.  Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers, 1947-2007


                                       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)


 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 stoppages 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.

  Note:  "Number of workers involved" in Table 1 reflects a tabulation of workers involved
in a work stoppage that began in a specific year.




Table 2.  Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2007


                                       Industry     Beginning     Ending      Number of
       Organizations involved           code(1)       date         date      workers(2)    Days idle
            and location



Harley-Davidson Motor Company
  York, PA,
  International Association of
  Machinists,
  Lodge 175
  Private Industry..................    336900    2/02/07      2/22/07           2,800       39,200

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems,
Ingalls Shipyard
  Pascagoula, MS,
  Pascagoula Metal Trades Council,
  International Brotherhood of
  Electrical
  Workers Local 733,
  Office and Professional Employees
  International Union Local 204,
  Special Police and Security
  Officers
  Local 655,
  Separate Division of the
  Machinists
  Private Industry..................    336611    3/08/07      4/04/07           6,500      130,000

Community College of Philadelphia
  Philadelphia, PA,
  Faculty and Staff Federation of
  CCP
  Local 2026
  Local Government..................    611210    3/13/07      3/27/07           1,300       14,300

National Fire Sprinkler Association
  Nationwide,
  Road Sprinkler Fitters Local 669
  Private Industry..................    238220    4/01/07      4/16/07           3,000       33,000

Foundation Coal Holdings
  Waynesburg, PA,
  United Mine Workers
  Private Industry..................    212112    4/04/07      4/13/07           1,200        9,600

Hayward School District
  Hayward, CA,
  The Hayward Education Association
  Local Government..................    611110    4/05/07      4/25/07           1,300       19,500

Associated Wall and Ceiling
Contractors of Oregon and Southwest
Washington, Inc.
  OR, WA,
  Pacific Northwest Regional
  Council of Carpenters
  Private Industry..................    236220    6/01/07      6/19/07           1,200       15,600

National Electrical Contractors of
America
  Puget Sound, WA,
  International Brotherhood of
  Electrical
  Workers Local 46
  Private Industry..................    238210    6/01/07      6/01/07           2,800        2,800

Orange County Transportation
Authority,
  CA,
  International Brotherhood of
  Teamsters
  Local 952
  Local Government..................    485113    7/07/07      7/16/07           1,100        6,600

Harlem Consolidated Schools,
District 122
  Machesney Park, IL,
  Harlem Federation of Teachers,
  Local 540
  Local Government..................    611110    8/21/07      9/01/07           1,000        9,000

University of Minnesota
  Duluth, MN,
  American Federation of State,
  County and
  Municipal Employees Local 3801
  Local Government..................    611310    9/05/07      9/21/07           3,100       40,300

Philadelphia Parking Authority
  Philadelphia, PA,
  Taxi Workers Alliance
  Local Government..................    485310    9/05/07      9/06/07           1,200        1,200

New York City Taxi & Limousine
Commission
  New York, NY,
  Taxi Workers Alliance
  Local Government..................    485310    9/05/07      9/07/07          26,000       52,000

General Motors Corporation
  Nationwide,
  United Auto Workers
  Private Industry..................    336111    9/24/07      9/26/07          74,000      148,000

San Francisco Bay Area Security
Officers
  CA,
  Service Employees International
  Union 24/7
  Private Industry..................    561612    9/24/07      9/28/07           4,000       20,000

Sutter Hospitals
  CA,
  California Nurses Association
  Private Industry..................    622110    10/10/07     10/12/07          5,000       15,000

New York City Taxi & Limousine
Commission
  New York, NY,
  Taxi Workers Alliance
  Local Government..................    485310    10/22/07     10/23/07         33,000       33,000

International Truck and Engine
Corporation
  OH, IN, IL, PA, GA, TX,
  United Auto Workers
  Private Industry..................    336120    10/23/07     12/13/07          3,700      133,200

Alliance of Motion Picture and
Television Producers
  Nationwide,
  Writers Guild of America West,
  Writers Guild of America East
  Private Industry..................    512110    11/05/07     ongoing          10,500      409,500

Paratransit Operators Coalition
  New York, NY,
  Amalgamated Transit Union
  Local 1181-1061
  Local Government..................    485991    12/10/07     12/19/07          1,500       12,000

Sutter Hospitals
  CA,
  California Nurses Association
  Private Industry..................    622110    12/13/07     12/14/07          5,000       10,000

  1 Industry code is from the 2002 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System).
  2 The number of workers involved is rounded to the nearest 100.


Last Modified Date: February 13, 2008