For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Friday, February 8, 2013 USDL-13-0193
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 2012
In 2012, 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 beginning
in 2012 equaled the total from 2011. Major work stoppages beginning in 2012 idled 148,000 workers,
higher than 2011 with 113,000 idled workers. In 2012, there were 1.13 million days idle from major
work stoppages in effect, also higher than 2011 with 1.02 million days idle. (See charts 1 and 2, and
table 1.) Over 40 percent (8 of 19) of major work stoppages beginning in 2012 occurred in November
and December. (See table 2.)
The largest work stoppage beginning in 2012 in terms of number of workers and total days idle was
between the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union, with 26,500 workers accounting
for 185,500 days idle. The longest work stoppage beginning in 2012 was between Lockheed Martin
Corporation and the International Association of Machinists, Local 776, with 3,600 workers
accounting for 172,800 days idle. (See table 2.) The Lockheed Martin Corporation work stoppage
lasted 48 workdays.
The major work stoppage between the American Crystal Sugar Company and the Bakery, Confectionary,
Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers, Sugar Council resulted in a total of 308,100 days
idle in 2012, and nearly 445,000 cumulative days idle since beginning on August 1, 2011. The number
of workers involved in the work stoppage fell below 1,000 workers in December 2012 and will no
longer be counted in major work stoppage estimates.
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 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 lost workdays 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, 1947-2012
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)
2012............................... 19 148 1,131 (4)
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 2012
Industry Beginning Ending Number of
Organizations involved, code date date workers Days idle
location, and sector
Kaiser Permanente Hospitals
CA, Statewide
California Nurses Association
National Union of Healthcare Workers
International Union of Operating Engineers
Local 39 Stationary Engineers
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 1/31/12 1/31/12 21,000 21,000
Riverside County Regional Medical Center
Riverside, CA
Service Employees International Union
Local 721
(Local Government).............................. 622110 1/31/12 1/31/12 5,600 5,600
Rockford School District 205
Rockford, IL
Rockford Education Association
(Local Government).............................. 611110 3/29/12 3/30/12 1,900 3,800
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Fort Worth, TX
International Association of Machinists
Local 776
(Private Industry).............................. 336411 4/23/12 6/28/12 3,600 172,800
Sutter Health Hospitals
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
California Nurses Association
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 5/1/12 5/5/12 4,500 18,000
AT&T, Inc.
CA and NV
Communications Workers of America
(Private Industry).............................. 517110 6/8/12 6/8/12 14,000 14,000
Sutter Health Hospitals
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
California Nurses Association
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 6/13/12 6/17/12 4,500 13,500
Consolidated Edison
New York City and Westchester County, NY
Utility Workers of America Local 1-2
(Private Industry).............................. 221122 7/1/12 7/26/12 8,000 144,000
Sutter Health Hospitals
Alameda and San Mateo Counties, CA
California Nurses Association
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 7/3/12 7/7/12 3,700 11,100
AT&T, Inc.
CA, CT and NV
Communications Workers of America
(Private Industry).............................. 517110 8/7/12 8/8/12 21,200 42,400
City of Chicago Public School District 299
Chicago, IL
Chicago Teachers Union
(Local Government).............................. 611110 9/10/12 9/18/12 26,500 185,500
Sutter Health Hospitals
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
California Nurses Association
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 11/1/12 11/5/12 3,300 9,900
Raley's, Nob Hill Stores
Northern CA and Northern NV
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
(Private Industry).............................. 445110 11/4/12 11/13/12 7,400 44,400
Hostess Brands
Nationwide
Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers
and Grain Millers International Union
(Private Industry).............................. 311812 11/9/12 11/21/12 5,000 40,000
Sutter Health Hospitals and Hospital Corporation
of America
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
California Nurses Association
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 11/20/12 11/24/12 5,000 15,000
Pacific Maritime Association
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA
International Longshore and Warehouse Union
Local 63A Office Clerical Unit
(Private Industry).............................. 488310 11/27/12 12/4/12 5,500 33,000
Community Unit School District 300
Carpentersville, IL Area
Local Education Association of District 300
(Local Government).............................. 611110 12/4/12 12/4/12 1,300 1,300
Goodman Manufacturing Company
Fayetteville, TN
International Association of Machinists
Local Lodge 2385
(Private Industry).............................. 333415 12/9/12 12/13/12 1,100 4,400
Sutter Health Hospitals and Hospital Corporation
of America
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
California Nurses Association
(Private Industry).............................. 622110 12/24/12 12/24/12 5,000 5,000
United States Department of Labor
