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For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, February 8, 2012 USDL-12-0215 Technical information: (202) 691-6275 Workstoppagesinfo@bls.gov http://www.bls.gov/wsp Media contact: (202) 691-5902 PressOffice@bls.gov MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2011 In 2011, there were 19 major strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 or more workers and lasting at least one shift, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The 19 major work stoppages in 2011 idled 113,000 workers for 1.02 million lost workdays, a large increase compared to 2010 with 11 major work stoppage idling 45,000 workers for 302,000 lost workdays. In 2009, there were record lows of 5 major work stoppages idling 13,000 workers for 124,000 lost workdays. (See table 1.) The longest work stoppage beginning in 2011 was between American Crystal Sugar Company and the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers, Sugar Council. The ongoing work stoppage began in August and has lasted throughout the remainder of 2011 (105 workdays) with 1,300 workers accounting for 136,500 lost workdays. The largest work stoppage in 2011 in terms of number of workers and total workdays idle was between Verizon Communications and the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, with 45,000 workers accounting for 450,000 lost workdays. (See table 2.) This release includes information for the work stoppage between the National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association. The work stoppage between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the NBA Players Association involved fewer than 1,000 workers and is therefore not part of this data series.
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, 1947-2011 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) 2011............................... 19 113 1,020 (4) 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 2011 Industry Beginning Ending Number of Organizations involved, code(1) date date workers(2) Days idle location, and sector Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Los Angeles, CA National Union of Healthcare Workers (Private Industry).............................. 622110 3/2/11 3/2/11 1,000 1,000 Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric & Hawaii Electric Light Company Hawaii International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260 (Private Industry)............................... 221112 3/4/11 3/7/11 1,300 2,600 Washington Hospital Center Washington, D.C. National Nurses United (Private Industry).............................. 622110 3/4/11 3/8/11 1,100 3,300 National Football League Nationwide National Football League Players Association (Private Industry).............................. 711211 3/12/11 7/25/11 1,900 178,600 Plumbing and Piping Industry Council Inc. dba Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association Tualatin, OR United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 290 (Private Industry).............................. 238220 4/11/11 4/25/11 1,500 16,500 General Building Contractors Association, Philadelphia, PA & DE Area Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters of Philadelphia & Vicinity Council (Private Industry).............................. 236220 5/4/11 5/12/11 3,000 21,000 Interior Finish Contractors Association Philadelphia, PA Area Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters of Philadelphia & Vicinity Council (Private Industry).............................. 236220 5/4/11 5/12/11 2,500 17,500 Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Los Angeles, CA National Union of Healthcare Workers (Private Industry).............................. 622110 5/18/11 5/18/11 2,000 2,000 Mason Contractors Association St. Louis, MO Bricklayers Local 1 (Private Industry).............................. 238140 6/1/11 7/20/11 1,000 35,000 Mechanical Contractors Association of Kansas City Kansas City, MO Pipefitters Local 533 (Private Industry).............................. 238220 6/1/11 6/8/11 1,500 9,000 Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors' Association of Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 601 (Private Industry).............................. 238220 6/30/11 7/22/11 2,500 40,000 American Crystal Sugar Company MN, IA, ND Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers, Sugar Council (Private Industry).............................. 311313 8/1/11 ongoing 1,300 136,500 Verizon Communications East Coast States Communications Workers of America & International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Private Industry).............................. 517110 8/7/11 8/20/11 45,000 450,000 Hyatt Hotels IL,CA, HI UNITE-HERE Locals 1,2,5,11 (Private Industry).............................. 721110 9/8/11 9/14/11 3,000 15,000 City of Tacoma Tacoma, WA Tacoma Teachers Association (Local Government).............................. 611110 9/13/11 9/22/11 1,900 15,200 Sutter Hospitals, Kaiser Permanente Hospitals, Children's Hospital and Research Center CA California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, National Union of Healthcare Workers & International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39 (Private Industry).............................. 622110 9/22/11 9/22/11 29,000 29,000 Sutter Hospitals, Children's Hospital and Research Center CA California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (Private Industry).............................. 622110 9/23/11 9/26/11 6,000 12,000 Cooper Tire and Rubber Company Findlay, Ohio United Steel Workers Local 207L (Private Industry).............................. 326211 11/28/11 ongoing 1,000 24,000 Sutter Hospitals, Memorial Care Hospitals Los Angeles Area, San Francisco Bay Area, CA California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (Private Industry).............................. 622110 12/22/11 12/23/11 6,000 12,000 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.