For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 USDL-14-0217 

Technical information: (202) 691-6275 • workstoppagesinfo@bls.gov • 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.) 

Chart 2. Annual days idle from major work 

stoppages, 2008-2013, in millions 

Chart 1. Annual major work stoppages, 

2008-2013 
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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

Period

Number of

work

stoppages

beginning

in

period

Numbers of

workers

involved

(thousands)1

Days idle2

Number

(thousands)

Percent of

estimated

working time3

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

See footnotes at end of table.

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Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers, 1947-2013 — Continued

Period

Number of

work

stoppages

beginning

in

period

Numbers of

workers

involved

(thousands)1

Days idle2

Number

(thousands)

Percent of

estimated

working time3

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. 

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Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2013

Organizations involved,

 location, and sector

Industry

code1

Beginning

date

Ending

date

Number of

workers2 Days idle

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, 3University 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

See footnotes at end of table.

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Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2013 — Continued

Organizations involved,

 location, and sector

Industry

code1

Beginning

date

Ending

date

Number of

workers2 Days idle

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.

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