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

Technical information: (202) 691-6275 • workstoppagesinfo@bls.gov • 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 34,000 workers in 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.) 

Chart 2. Percent of major work stoppages, selected 

industry group, 2015. 

Chart 1. Annual major work stoppages, 2009-15
- 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

Period

Number of

work

stoppages

beginning

in

period

Numbers of

workers

involved

(thousands)1

Days idle2

Number

(thousands)

Percent of

estimated

working time3

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

See footnotes at end of table.

- 3 -
Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers, 1947-2015 — Continued

Period

Number of

work

stoppages

beginning

in

period

Numbers of

workers

involved

(thousands)1

Days idle2

Number

(thousands)

Percent of

estimated

working time3

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. 

- 4 -
Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2015

Organizations involved,

 location, and sector

Industry

code1

Beginning

date

Ending

date

Number of

workers2 Days idle3

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 Refineries4

 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

See footnotes at end of table.

- 5 -
Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2015 — Continued

Organizations involved,

 location, and sector

Industry

code1

Beginning

date

Ending

date

Number of

workers2 Days idle3

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.

- 6 -