Information: USDL 07-0304 (202) 691-6275 cbainfo@bls.gov Media Contact: For Release: 10:00 A.M. EST (202) 691-5902 Tuesday, February 27, 2007 Internet Address: http://www.bls.gov/cba/home.htm MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2006 Major work stoppages idled 70,000 workers with 2.7 million lost workdays in 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The number of workers involved declined from 2005, but the number of workdays lost increased by an additional 1 million over the 2005 figure. 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. For work stoppages that began in 2005, only days of idleness in calendar year 2006 are counted. The total number of lockouts and strikes beginning in calendar year 2006 was 20. For 2005 there were 22 stoppages, with 1.7 million workdays of idleness involving 99,600 workers. (See table 1 and charts A-C). Of the 20 major work stoppages beginning in 2006, 12 were in private industry and eight were in State and local governments. In private industry, five work stoppages occurred in both manufacturing and construction, and one stoppage each in janitorial services and automotive dealerships. Of the eight work stoppages in State and local governments, four work stoppages involved municipal and county workers, two involved educational services, and one each in public transportation and health care. While the number of work stoppages and workers involved both declined from 2005 to 2006, the number of lost workdays rose substantially, due to the length of some work stoppages. The mean length of a work stoppage beginning in 2006 was 26.5 days, up from 20 days in 2005 and 14.6 days in 2004. The median length of a work stoppage beginning in 2006 was 10 days, up from 6 days in 2005, and 5 days in 2004. Most work stoppages are relatively short in duration, but the mean is influenced by several long work stoppages. The longest work stoppage beginning in 2006 lasted 211 days and involved the AK Steel Corporation and the Armco Employees Independent Federation. The largest work stoppage in terms of idleness was between Northwest Airlines and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, with 812,100 workdays lost in 2006 and 1,183,800 workdays lost in total since the work stoppage began on August 20, 2005. The second largest work stoppage in terms of idleness, and the largest in terms of worker participation with 12,600 employees involved, was between the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the United Steelworkers of America, with 718,000 days idled in 2006. Table A. Duration of work stoppages beginning in 2006, 2005, and 2004 Duration 2006 2005 2004 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1-2 days 5 25 4 18 3 18 3-10 days 6 30 8 36 6 35 11-20 days 5 25 5 23 2 12 21-30 days 1 5 1 5 1 6 31-40 days 1 5 1 5 2 12 41-50 days 0 0 0 0 0 0 >50 days 2 10 3 14 3 18 Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding. The 2004 and 2005 numbers represent the total duration of all work stoppages initiated during those respective years. The 2006 numbers represent work stoppages initiated in 2006. Table B. Number of work stoppages by the number of workers idled in 2006, 2005, and 2004 Number of workers idled 2006 2005 2004 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1,000 to 1,999 10 50 11 50 6 35 2,000 to 2,999 2 10 5 23 3 18 3,000 to 4,999 3 15 2 9 2 12 5,000 to 7,499 2 10 2 9 3 18 7,500 to 9,999 2 10 0 0 0 0 10,000 to 14,999 1 5 0 0 1 6 15,000 to 19,999 0 0 1 5 1 6 20,000 or more 0 0 1 5 1 6 Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding. Table C. Number of work stoppages by number of work days idled in 2006, 2005, and 2004 Number of days 2006 2005 2004 of idleness Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1,000 to 4,999 2 10 3 14 0 0 5,000 to 9,999 5 25 4 18 4 24 10,000 to 14,999 2 10 1 5 1 6 15,000 to 19,999 2 10 4 18 1 6 20,000 to 29,999 2 10 2 9 2 12 30,000 to 49,999 2 10 2 9 1 6 50,000 to 74,999 1 5 1 5 2 12 75,000 to 99,999 0 0 1 5 1 6 100,000 to 199,999 2 10 2 9 2 12 200,000 to 299,999 0 0 0 0 2 12 300,000 or more 2 10 2 9 1 6 Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding. The 2004 and 2005 numbers represent the number of work days idled of all work stoppages initiated during those respective years. The 2006 numbers represent work stoppages initiated in 2006. 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 media sources such as the Daily Labor Report and the Wall Street Journal. 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 taking the number of workers involved in the strike or lock-out and multiplying it by the number of days workers are off the job. For detailed work stoppage statistics, please visit http://www.bls.gov/cba Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers, 1947-2006 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) 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. Note: "Number of workers involved" in Table 1 reflects a tabulation of workers involved in a work stoppage that began in a specific year. "Number of workers involved" in Table 3 reflects a tabulation of all workers involved in a work stoppage in that year without making the distinction of when the work stoppage was initiated. Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2006 (listed by date stoppage began). Industry Beginning Ending Number of Organizations involved code(1) date date workers(2) Days idle and location Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. Stratford, CT, West Palm Beach, FL International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1150 Private Industry................ 336411 2/20/06 4/03/06 3,600 108,000 AK Steel Corp. Middletown, OH Armco Employees Independent Federation Private Industry................ 331111 3/01/06 (3) 2,300(4) 468,000 Santa Cruz County Government, Santa Cruz, CA Service Employees International Union Local 415 Local Government................ 921190 3/14/06 3/15/06 1,600 1,600 Denver Regional Transportation District Denver, CO Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001 Local Government................ 485110 4/03/06 4/09/06 1,700 8,500 Greater Metropolitan Automotive Dealers Association of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 974 Private Industry................ 441110 4/17/06 5/09/06 1,400 23,800 General Building Contractors Association (GBCA) Philadelphia, PA United Brotherhood of Carpenters Metropolitan Regional Council of Philadelphia Private Industry................ 238350 5/01/06 5/02/06 5,000 5,000 MidAmerica Regional Bargaining Association, Chicago, IL, Laborers International Union Private Industry................ 237310 6/01/06 6/04/06 2,000 4,000 Mason Contractors Association and Independent Employers, St. Louis, MO and Vicinity International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Private Industry................ 238140 6/01/06 6/08/06 1,200 7,200 Grove Masory Maintenance Inc., Tuckpointing Contractors Association Chicago, IL International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Private Industry................ 238140 6/12/06 6/17/06 1,600 8,000 Contra Costa County Danville, CA Service Employees International Union Local 535 The Association of Federal, State and Municipal Employees Locals 512 and 2700 Public Employees Local 1 The Western Council of Engineers, Physicians and Dentists of Contra Costa Local Government................ 921100 6/27/06 6/28/06 6,000 6,000 General Contractors Association of Greater New York New York, NY International Union of Operating Engineers Private Industry................ 237990 7/01/06 7/07/06 3,000 12,000 Gary School District Gary, IN Gary Teachers Union Local Government................ 611110 8/21/06 9/01/06 1,400 14,000 City of Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA The Engineers and Architects Association Local Government................ 921100 8/22/06 8/23/06 7,500 15,000 Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick, NJ United Steelworkers Health Care Workers Council, Local 4-200 Local Government................ 622110 8/24/06 9/21/06 1,200 24,000 Detroit School District Detroit, MI Detroit Federation of Teachers, Local 231 Local Government................ 611110 8/28/06 9/13/06 9,500 104,500 Sacramento County, CA Sacramento, CA Stationary Engineers Local 39 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 57 Local 146 United Public Employees Local 1 Local Government................ 921100 9/05/06 9/18/06 3,900 39,000 Bombardier Learjet Wichita, KS International Association of Machinists Local 639 Private Industry................ 336411 10/02/06 10/23/06 1,100 16,500 Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. AL, NE, NY, NC, OH, KS, TN, TX, VA, WI United Steelworkers Private Industry................ 326210 10/06/06 12/29/06 12,600 718,200 ABM Janitorial Services, GCA Services Group Sanitors Services of Texas, Pritchard Industries Southwest Houston, TX Service Employees International Union Local 5 Private Industry................ 561720 10/23/06 11/20/06 1,300 26,000 Raytheon Missle Systems Tucson, AZ International Association of Machinists Local 933 Private Industry................ 336414 11/06/06 (3) 1,900 70,300 1 Industry code is from the 2002 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System). 2 BLS rounds figures to the nearest 100. Companies and unions may have rounded the figures before providing them to BLS. 3 This work stoppage was still active as of December 31, 2006. All data presented are for the 2006 calendar year. 4 Work stoppage began with 2,600 workers in March 2006. It later decreased to 2,400 workers in April; 2,300 workers in July; 1,900 workers in October; and 1,800 workers in November. Average number of workers is reported in the table.