20 major work stoppages in 2018 involving 485,000 workers

In 2018, there were 20 major work stoppages involving 485,000 workers. The number of major work stoppages beginning in 2018 was the highest since 2007, when there were 21 major work stoppages. The number of workers involved in 2018 was the highest since 1986, when 533,000 workers were involved in work stoppages.

In 2018, the largest work stoppage by number of days idle was between the Arizona Education Association and the Arizona state government and involved 81,000 teachers and staff totaling 486,000 days of idleness. The second largest stoppage in 2018 involved the Oklahoma State Legislature and the Oklahoma Education Association accounting for 405,000 days idle.

The longest major work stoppage beginning in 2018 involved National Grid and the United Steelworkers Locals 12003 and 12012, accounting for 156,000 days idle in the current year. The National Grid work stoppage began on June 25, 2018, and was ongoing through 2018. Other notable major work stoppages beginning in 2018 involved the Marriott Corporation and the University of California Medical Centers.

These data are from the Work Stoppages program. To learn more, see “Major Work Stoppages in 2018”. Major work stoppages include both worker-initiated strikes and employer-initiated lockouts that involve 1,000 or more workers and last at least one shift. Days idle are calculated by multiplying the number of workers involved in the strike or lockout by the number of days workers are off the job, based on a 5-day workweek excluding federal holidays.