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.
United States Department of Labor
