For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 USDL-14-0217
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 2013
In 2013, there were 15 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 15 major work stoppages beginning
in 2013 were down from 19 major work stoppages beginning in 2012. (See chart 1 and table 1.)
Major work stoppages beginning in 2013 idled 55,000 workers, lower than 2012 with 148,000 idled
workers. In 2013, there were 290,000 days idle from major work stoppages in effect, also lower than
2012 with 1.13 million days idle. In 2013, two-thirds of major work stoppages lasted three or less
workdays. State and local government accounted for 60 percent of major work stoppages beginning in
2013. In addition, over half of major work stoppages beginning in 2013 occurred in the state of
California. (See chart 2, and tables 1 and 2.)
The longest and most days idle of any major work stoppage beginning in 2013 was between the New
York City Public Schools and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181, with 8,000 workers
accounting for 176,000 days idle. The greatest number of workers involved in a major work stoppage
beginning in 2013 was between the University of California Medical Centers and American Federation
of State County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 (including the University Professional and
Technical Employees Union for one day), involving as many as 18,800 workers. (See table 2.)
Other notable work stoppages beginning in 2013 included the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and the
Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555.
BART was involved in two major work stoppages, occurring in July and October. (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 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, 1947-2013
________________________________________________________________________________________
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)
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 2013
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
| Industry | Beginning| Ending | Number of|
Organizations involved, | code(1) | date | date |workers(2)| Days idle
location, and sector | | | | |
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
New York City Public Schools | | | | |
New York, NY | | | | |
Amalgamated Transit Union | | | | |
Local 1181 | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 611110 | 1/16/13 | 2/15/13 | 8,000 | 176,000
| | | | |
G4S, Allied Barton, Securitas, Viking Security, | | | | |
ABM Security, and Whelan Security | | | | |
Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN | | | | |
Service Employees International Union | | | | |
Local 26, Security Guards | | | | |
(Private Industry)..............................| 561612 | 2/27/13 | 2/27/13 | 2,000 | 2,000
| | | | |
Sheet Metal Contractors Association | | | | |
of Philadelphia and Vicinity | | | | |
Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, PA, NJ | | | | |
Sheet Metal Workers Union | | | | |
Local 19 | | | | |
(Private Industry)..............................| 236220 | 5/1/13 | 5/2/13 | 1,300 | 2,600
| | | | |
Sutter Health Hospitals | | | | |
Hospital Corporation of America | | | | |
San Francisco Bay Area, CA | | | | |
California Nurses Association | | | | |
National Nurses United | | | | |
(Private Industry)..............................| 622110 | 5/17/13 | 5/24/13 | 4,200 | 25,200
| | | | |
University of California Medical Centers | | | | |
Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, | | | | |
Irvine and San Diego, CA | | | | |
American Federation of State, County, | | | | |
and Municipal Employees | | | | |
Local 3299, (3)University Professional, | | | | |
and Technical Employees Union | | | | |
(State Government)..............................| 622110 | 5/21/13 | 5/22/13 | 18,800 | 34,300
| | | | |
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) | | | | |
San Francisco Bay Area, CA | | | | |
Service Employees International Union | | | | |
Local 1021 | | | | |
Amalgamated Transit Union | | | | |
Local 1555 | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 485112 | 7/1/13 | 7/5/13 | 2,400 | 9,600
| | | | |
City of Oakland | | | | |
Oakland, CA | | | | |
International Federation of Professional | | | | |
and Technical Engineers | | | | |
Local 21 | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 921110 | 7/1/13 | 7/1/13 | 2,500 | 2,500
| | | | |
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. | | | | |
Hurst, TX | | | | |
United Auto Workers | | | | |
Local 218 | | | | |
(Private Industry)..............................| 336411 | 9/6/13 | 9/6/13 | 2,600 | 2,600
| | | | |
Los Angeles County, CA | | | | |
Service Employees International Union | | | | |
Local 721 | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 921110 | 10/1/13 | 10/1/13 | 2,500 | 2,500
| | | | |
Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore | | | | |
Maryland Port Administration | | | | |
Baltimore, MD | | | | |
International Longshoremen's Association | | | | |
Local 333 | | | | |
(Private Industry)..............................| 488310 | 10/16/13 | 10/18/13 | 2,000 | 6,000
| | | | |
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) | | | | |
San Francisco Bay Area, CA | | | | |
Service Employees International Union | | | | |
Local 1021 | | | | |
Amalgamated Transit Union | | | | |
Local 1555 | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 485112 | 10/18/13 | 10/21/13 | 2,300 | 4,600
| | | | |
Will County | | | | |
Joliet, IL | | | | |
American Federation of State, County, | | | | |
and Municipal Employees | | | | |
Local 1028 | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 921110 | 11/18/13 | 12/4/13 | 1,000 | 12,000
| | | | |
University of California Medical Centers | | | | |
Statewide, CA | | | | |
American Federation of State, County, | | | | |
and Municipal Employees | | | | |
Local 3299, UC Student-Workers | | | | |
(State Government)..............................| 622110 | 11/20/13 | 11/20/13 | 2,100 | 2,100
| | | | |
Deaconess Medical Center, Valley Hospital | | | | |
Spokane, WA | | | | |
Service Employees International Union | | | | |
Local 1199NW Healthcare | | | | |
(Private Industry)..............................| 622110 | 12/4/13 | 12/4/13 | 1,100 | 1,100
| | | | |
Los Angeles County, CA | | | | |
Service Employees International Union | | | | |
Local 721 Social Workers | | | | |
(Local Government)..............................| 624110 | 12/5/13 | 12/10/13 | 1,700 | 6,800
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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 3,300 members of the University Professional and Technical Employees Union participated in the strike
for one day only on May 21, 2013.
United States Department of Labor
