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Economic News Release
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Major Work Stoppages (Annual) News Release


For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, February 10, 2016                                   USDL-16-0272

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 2015


In 2015, there were 12 major work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers and lasting at least one
shift, one more than in 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Since the series began in
1947 the lowest annual total was 5 in 2009. (See table 1 and chart 1.)

Major work stoppages beginning in 2015 idled 47,000 workers, higher than the 34,000 workers of 2014.
In 2015, there were 740,000 days idle from major work stoppages in effect, also higher than 2014 with
200,000 days idle. In 2015, private industry organizations accounted for over 92 percent of the total days
idle, consisting of 684,000 days of idleness. In 2015, oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, and
educational services industries accounted for approximately 89 percent of all days idle for major work
stoppages in 2015. (See tables 1 and 2 and chart 2.)


In 2015, the largest major work stoppage in terms of days idle was between Royal Dutch Shell Oil and
other refineries, and the United Steelworkers Union with up to 6,600 workers at its February 2015 peak.
This work stoppage accounted for 322,100 total days idle. Other major refineries involved in this work
stoppage included British Petroleum, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, LyondellBasell, Marathon Oil Corporation,
Motiva Enterprises, and Tesoro Corporation.

The second largest work stoppage in 2015 in terms of days idle was between Allegheny Technologies
Incorporated and the United Steelworkers Union, involving 2,200 workers with 206,800 days idle. This
work stoppage was still ongoing at the end of 2015. (See table 2.)




                                            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 this publication.

Information on work stoppages is obtained from reports from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation
Service, state labor market information offices, BLS Strike Report 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
www.bls.gov/wsp.

Monthly time series data since 1981 have been published (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

Detailed historical major work stoppages data

Detailed data for each major work stoppage since 1993 are available at
www.bls.gov/wsp/monthly_listing.htm. The major work stoppages historical data file includes the
organization involved, location, beginning and ending work stoppage dates, the number of workers, and
total days idle.

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, 1947-2015


                                            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)

      2015...............................       12            47           740        (4)

      2014...............................       11            34           200        (4)
      2013...............................       15            55           290        (4)
      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 2015
          _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
                                                            | Industry | Beginning|  Ending  | Number of|   Days
                       Organizations involved,              |  code(1) |   date   |   date   |workers(2)|  idle(3)
                         location, and sector               |          |          |          |          |
          _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Kaiser Permanente Hospitals                       |          |          |          |          |
            Statewide CA                                    |          |          |          |          |
            National Union of Healthcare Workers            |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  622110  |  1/12/15 |  1/19/15 |    3,500 |   17,500
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Royal Dutch Shell Oil and Other Refineries(4)     |          |          |          |          |
            CA, IN, KY, LA, OH, TX, WA                      |          |          |          |          |
            United Steelworkers Union                       |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  211111  |  2/01/15 |  6/23/15 |    6,600 |  322,100
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Washington State Legislature                      |          |          |          |          |
            WA                                              |          |          |          |          |
            Washington Education Association                |          |          |          |          |
            Statewide Local Affiliations                    |          |          |          |          |
            (State Government)(5)...........................|  611110  |  4/22/15 |  6/03/15 |   16,900 |   16,900
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital,                     |          |          |          |          |
            Mills-Peninsula Health Services (Sutter),       |          |          |          |          |
            Sutter Tracy Community Hospital,                |          |          |          |          |
            Sutter Roseville Medical Center,                |          |          |          |          |
            Sutter Santa Rosa Medical Center                |          |          |          |          |
            Central CA                                      |          |          |          |          |
            California Nurses Association                   |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  622110  |  4/30/15 |  5/05/15 |    1,700 |    5,100
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Allegheny Technologies Incorporated               |          |          |          |          |
            OH, PA, WV                                      |          |          |          |          |
            United Steelworkers Union                       |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  331110  |  8/15/15 |  ongoing |    2,200 |  206,800
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Consolidated Nuclear Security                     |          |          |          |          |
            Amarillo, TX                                    |          |          |          |          |
            Amarillo Metal Trades Council                   |          |          |          |          |
            OPEIU Local 306                                 |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  325180  |  8/29/15 | 10/03/15 |    1,200 |   28,800
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Pasco School District                             |          |          |          |          |
            Pasco, WA                                       |          |          |          |          |
            Pasco Association of Educators                  |          |          |          |          |
            (Local Government)..............................|  611110  |  9/01/15 |  9/13/15 |    1,100 |    8,800
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Seattle School District                           |          |          |          |          |
            Seattle, WA                                     |          |          |          |          |
            Seattle Education Association                   |          |          |          |          |
            (Local Government)..............................|  611110  |  9/09/15 |  9/15/15 |    5,000 |   25,000
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Kohler Company                                    |          |          |          |          |
            Sheboygan, WI                                   |          |          |          |          |
            United Auto Workers                             |          |          |          |          |
            Local 833                                       |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  332913  | 11/15/15 | 12/15/15 |    2,100 |   44,100
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Solano County Municipal Government                |          |          |          |          |
            Solano County, CA                               |          |          |          |          |
            Solano County Municipal Government Employees    |          |          |          |          |
            SEIU Local 1021                                 |          |          |          |          |
            (Local Government)..............................|  921110  | 11/17/15 | 11/18/15 |    1,800 |    3,600
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Sonoma County Municipal Government                |          |          |          |          |
            Sonoma County, CA                               |          |          |          |          |
            Sonoma County Municipal Government Employees    |          |          |          |          |
            SEIU Local 1021                                 |          |          |          |          |
            (Local Government)..............................|  921110  | 11/17/15 | 11/17/15 |    2,000 |    2,000
                                                            |          |          |          |          |
          Nexteer Automotive                                |          |          |          |          |
            Buena Vista, MI                                 |          |          |          |          |
            United Auto Workers                             |          |          |          |          |
            Local 699                                       |          |          |          |          |
            (Private Industry)..............................|  336330  | 12/08/15 | 12/08/15 |    3,200 |    3,200
          _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

            1 Industry code is from the 2012 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System).
            2 The number of workers involved is rounded to the nearest 100.
            3 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.
            4 Royal Dutch Shell Oil initially represented other organizations involved in the work stoppage
          including Exxon Mobil, BP PLC, Chevron, LyondellBassell, Marathon Oil Corporation, Motiva Enterprises, and
          Tesoro Oil Corporation.
            5 Work stoppage exceeded 1,000 workers on 7 separate days from April 22nd, 2015 through June 3rd, 2015.
          The work stoppage involved various locations statewide for one day each. The number of workers and days
          idle have been combined.


Last Modified Date: February 10, 2016