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.
United States Department of Labor
