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For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, February 10, 2010 USDL-10-0170 Technical information: (202) 691-6199 Workstoppagesinfo@bls.gov http://www.bls.gov/wsp Media contact: (202) 691-5902 PressOffice@bls.gov MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2009 In 2009, there were five major strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 or more workers, the lowest number since the major work stoppages series began in 1947, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The prior low for major work stoppages beginning in a calendar year was 14 in 2003. The five major work stoppages in 2009 idled 13,000 workers for 124,000 lost workdays, both record lows, and a large decrease compared to 2008 with 15 stoppages idling 72,000 workers for 1.95 million lost workdays. Since 2007, the number of major work stoppages and the number of employees involved in major work stoppages have fallen sharply. (See charts 1 and 2.) Average annual major work stoppages have continued to decline. From 2000-2009, there were approximately 20 major work stoppages on average per year, compared with 35 per year from 1990-1999 and 83 from 1980-1989. (See table 1.) The largest work stoppage in 2009 in terms of number of days and total workdays idle was between Bell Helicopter Textron and the United Auto Workers Local 218, lasting 27 workdays with 2,500 workers accounting for 67,500 lost workdays. The largest work stoppage beginning in 2009 in terms of number of workers was between the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the Transport Workers Union Local 234 with 5,500 workers involved in the work stoppage. (See table 2.) 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 shift.
TECHNICAL NOTE 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 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 National Compensation Survey compiles detailed monthly and time series 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, 1947-2009 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) 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 2009 Industry Beginning Ending Number of Organizations involved, code(1) date date workers(2) Days idle location, and industry type Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated Fort Worth, TX, United Auto Workers Local 218 Private Industry.................. 336411 6/15/09 7/22/09 2,500 67,500 Interior Demolition Contractors Association New York, NY, Laborers International Union of North America Local 79, Mason Tenders District Council Private Industry.................. 238910 7/01/09 7/07/09 1,500 6,000 Kent Public School District Kent, WA, Kent Education Association Local Government.................. 611110 8/27/09 9/13/09 1,900 20,900 Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Philadelphia, PA, Transport Workers Union Local 234 Local Government.................. 485111 11/03/09 11/09/09 5,500 27,500 University of Illnois Champaign-Urbana, IL, American Federation of Teachers, Graduate Employees Organization Local 6300 State Government.................. 611310 11/16/09 11/17/09 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.