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Major Work Stoppages in 2003

by Ann C. Foster

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Originally Posted: November 23, 2004

There were 14 major work stoppages that began in 2003, idling 129,200 workers and resulting in 4.1 million days of idleness.

Although these figures are up from the previous year, they are low by historical standards.

The number of workers idled, the number of days of idleness, and the percent of estimated working time lost because of

strikes and lockouts rose in 2003, but each of these measures remained low by historical standards. There were 14 major

work stoppages that began during the year,1 idling 129,200 workers and resulting in 4.1 million workdays of idleness (about 1

out of every 10,000 available workdays).2 In comparison, 19 major work stoppages began in 2002, which idled 46,000

workers and resulted in 660,000 days of idleness. (See table 1 and charts 1, 2, and 3.)

Major work stoppages are those involving 1,000 or more workers and lasting a full shift or longer; they include workerinitiated strikes, as well as lockouts by employers. A strike is defined as a temporary stoppage of work by a group of workers

(not necessarily union members) to express a grievance or enforce a bargaining demand. A lockout is a temporary

withholding or denial of employment by employers during a labor dispute to enforce employment terms on an employee

group. Because of the complexity of labor disputes, BLS does not attempt to distinguish between strikes and lockouts in its

statistics.3 In this article, however, either of these terms may be used when referring to information from other sources.

Work Stoppages By Industry

Twelve of the major work stoppages beginning in 2003 occurred in private industry, and the remaining two took place in State

and local government. Within private industry, the largest number of work stoppages occurred in manufacturing (three) and in

retail trade (three). Within State and local government, one major work stoppage occurred in transportation and warehousing

and another in public administration. The following industry groups experienced the most days of idleness due to work

stoppages in 2003: • Retail trade (3,689,000 days) • Transportation and warehousing (178,700 days) • Manufacturing (82,800 days)

Size And Duration Of The Most Significant Disputes

The five largest work stoppages (in terms of number of workers idled) that began in 2003 accounted for 82 percent of the

nearly 130,000 workers who were idled that year. The largest stoppage, which idled 67,300 workers, resulted from a dispute

between grocery store chains Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The

second largest dispute idled 17,500 workers and involved General Electric Company and the Communications Workers of

America (IUE-CWA) and the United Electrical Workers (UE-Ind.).4 The third largest work stoppage, which idled 10,200

workers, was the result of a dispute between grocery store companies Dierbergs, Schnucks, and Shop ’n Save and the

UFCW.

The fourth and fifth largest work stoppages took place in State and local government. A dispute between the Los Angeles

County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) idled 6,200 workers, and a dispute

between San Joaquin County and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) idled 5,000 workers. (See table 2.)

Nine-tenths of the total number of days of idleness in 2003 stemmed from three of the five previously mentioned disputes.

The greatest number of days idle (3,374,200 days) resulted from the dispute between Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons and the

UFCW. The dispute between Dierbergs, Schnucks, and Shop ’n Save and the UFCW resulted in 183,600 days of idleness.
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Finally, the dispute between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the ATU led to 148,800 days

of idleness.

The average length of work stoppages beginning in 2003 was 22 days, with 71 percent of all stoppages lasting 30 days or

less. The longest work stoppage--that between Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons and the UFCW--began on October 12 and

remained in effect on December 31.5 This work stoppage was the only one in 2003 that lasted more than 50 days. The

second longest dispute, lasting 50 days, was between Ohio-based Kroger Company--which now also owns Ralphs--and the

UFCW. (See table 3.)

Profiles Of Significant Disputes

The three disputes that occurred in retail trade had a significant impact on work stoppage activity in 2003. These disputes are

profiled in this section.

Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons and the UFCW. This stoppage was the longest in the history of the supermarket industry,

and it was the largest, in terms of the number of days of idleness.6 The three supermarket chains bargained jointly and made

their final offer shortly before midnight on October 5, 2003, the expiration date of their contract with the seven UFCW locals

that were parties to the contract. Under the expiring contract, health insurance premiums were fully paid by the employers

and covered workers had relatively low deductibles and co-payments. The three employers proposed that employees

contribute toward part of the premium costs and that employee cost-sharing requirements be substantially increased. The

employers also wanted to move covered workers into a defined contribution retirement plan for future years of service, rather

than continue to provide them with a defined benefit plan. The employers also proposed a new, lower wage tier for new

hires.7

The employees voted on October 8 and 9, and members of all seven UFCW locals rejected the proposed new contract.

Negotiations continued, but they collapsed at around 9 p.m. on October 11. About 21,000 UFCW-represented employees at

Vons then went on strike. Shortly thereafter, Albertsons locked out its 21,000 UFCW-represented employees, and the next

morning Ralphs locked out its 17,000 workers, also represented by the UFCW. Employees began picketing the three grocery

store chains.8 Picket lines were withdrawn from Ralphs on October 31, although UFCW-represented workers remained

idled.9

Negotiations resumed on November 10, but the UFCW extended its picketing to Safeway (Vons’ parent company) stores in

Northern California the next day. Talks soon broke off again, and picket lines were extended to other Safeway stores in

California and in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. On November 24, the UFCW extended picket lines to the

chains’ distribution and warehouse facilities. Negotiations resumed for a short time on December 19. Picket lines at

Albertsons and Ralphs distribution and warehouse facilities were removed on December 22, allowing Teamsters who had

honored the picket lines to go back to work. The picket lines at Vons, however, remained in place, with 2,000 Teamsters still

idled.10

On January 11, 2004, union and company representatives announced that an informal attempt to restart negotiations had

failed.11 On February 4, the union proposed binding arbitration to settle the dispute. The employers turned the proposal down

but expressed a desire to resume negotiations. On February 11, negotiations resumed.12 After 15 days, a tentative

agreement was reached and was ratified by UFCW members on February 29. Under the agreement, effective February 29,

2004 to March 3, 2007, the employers would continue to pay full health insurance premiums for all covered employees,

including new hires, for at least 2 years. In the third year, covered employees would have to pay up to $5 a week for single

coverage and $15 per week for family coverage. The new agreement also provided a lower base wage tier for new hires and

provided current employees with lump-sum payments instead of base wage increases.13

Dierbergs, Schnucks, and Shop ’n Save and the UFCW. Among the stoppages that began in 2003, this was the third

largest in terms of number of workers idled, and the second largest in terms of days of idleness. On September 30, UFCW

Local 655 members rejected a contract proposal from the Greater St. Louis Food Employers Council, which represented

Dierbergs, Schnucks, and Shop ’n Save. Previous contracts had expired June 15 and the parties were operating under a
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day-to-day extension. The employers’ proposal included a wage increase of 25 cents per hour in each of the contract’s final 3

years for workers earning more than $9 per hour; courtesy clerks were offered an increase of 5 cents per hour over the same

period. The proposed new contract stated that the companies would still pay the full cost of health insurance premiums, but

employee deductibles and co-payments would increase.14 On October 2, members of UFCW Local 655 voted to reject the

proposed contract, and on October 7, they voted to authorize a strike. The UFCW-represented employees of Shop ’n Save

stores went on strike shortly after the vote, and the other two companies responded by locking out their UFCW-represented

workers.15

On October 29, the UFCW reached a tentative agreement with the three employers, and on October 31, the agreement was

ratified. Under the new agreement, the employers agreed to continue paying the full cost of employee health insurance

premiums. The new agreement also eliminated deductibles instead of the proposed $200 individual and $400 family

deductibles. The agreement included a prescription drug co-payment of $25 for a 30-day supply and $75 for a 90-day supply;

the rejected proposal had called for $75 co-payments for a 30-day supply and $175 co-payments for a 90-day supply. Under

the new agreement, covered employees earning at least $9 per hour would receive wage increases of 25 cents per hour in

the last 3 years of the contract, and courtesy clerks would receive increases of 10 cents per hour in all 4 years of the

contract.16

Kroger Company and the UFCW. This work stoppage lasted 50 days and took place in West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.

It idled 3,300 workers and was the second longest in duration among the major stoppages that began in 2003. On October

13, members of UFCW Local 400 authorized a strike after rejecting Kroger’s final offer for a new 4-year contract. In this

dispute--unlike the one in California involving Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons, and the UFCW--there were no plans to hire

replacement workers. Instead, at 10 p.m. on October 13, Kroger temporarily closed 44 supermarkets, 37 of which were in

West Virginia.17

At the time of the negotiations, Kroger was paying about $325 per month for each full-time employee for health care

coverage. Under the company’s proposal, increases to Kroger’s contributions would be capped at 8 percent per year.

However, the union argued that without at least a 25-percent increase, covered workers would start losing benefits or be

forced to offset costs themselves. Kroger had also proposed a direct wage increase of 20 cents per hour in 2003, and 25

cents per hour in 2005; these wage increases would alternate with lump-sum payments of $300 in 2004 and $500 in 2006.

But the union wanted direct wage increases in all 4 years.18

On December 9, the parties announced that a tentative agreement was reached after two days of marathon bargaining in

Cincinnati, Ohio, where Kroger’s corporate headquarters are located. The new agreement, approved on December 11,

provided for the same raises the company had proposed in October. Under the new agreement, however, Kroger agreed to

increase its health care fund contributions by 8 percent per year, and would pay up to an additional 2.5 percent more per year

if an independent actuary determined that additional contributions were needed to maintain benefits. To help keep health

care costs down, the union agreed to switch from an open insurance system to a preferred provider plan.19

During the work stoppage, Kroger officials had said that they would reopen only as many stores as was economically

possible. Shortly after ratification, Kroger announced that it would not reopen three of the stores closed during the stoppage.

These stores had been only marginally profitable before the dispute, and the company said that the economic impact of the

dispute and the cost of restocking made reopening them not economically feasible.20

Ann C. Foster

Economist, Division of Compensation Data Analysis and Planning, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Telephone: 202-691-6199; E-mail: Foster.Ann@bls.gov

Notes

1 One additional work stoppage began prior to 2003 and continued into 2003. This dispute kept another 1,300 workers off their jobs and added

13,800 days of idleness in 2003.

2 Information on work stoppages is obtained from reports from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and State labor market

information offices and from media sources such as the Daily Labor Report and The Wall Street Journal. Either the employer, the union, or
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

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both parties involved in the work stoppage are then contacted to verify the duration of the stoppage and the number of workers idled by it. For

more information, see Major Work Stoppages in 2003, USDL 04-418 (U.S. Department of Labor), March 19, 2004; or visit the Collective

Bargaining page of the BLS website at http://www.bls.gov/cba/home.htm.

3 For more information on the major work stoppages data series, including why it is difficult for BLS to identify accurately the relationship

between collective bargaining agreement expirations and work stoppages, see Michael H. Cimini and John K. Steinmeyer, "What Can You Tell

Me About Collective Bargaining Expirations and Work Stoppages?" Compensation and Working Conditions Online, May 28, 2003; available on

the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cb20030522ar01p1.htm.

4 The employee organizations listed in this article are affiliated with the AFL-CIO except where parenthetically noted as "Ind." for

"independent."

5 Although 21,000 Vons employees represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) went on strike at 10:30 p.m., local

time, on October 11, 2003, the first full day of the stoppage was not until October 12. This work stoppage ended on February 29, 2004, with

the number of workers idled ranging between 59,300 and 67,300 workers. For more information, see "Major Work Stoppages: Detailed

Monthly Data," available on Internet at http://www.bls.gov/wsp/mwsdetail.htm.

6 For more information on this dispute, see Eric Lekus, "Approval of Agreement in Southern California Seen Ending Longest Grocery Work

Stoppage," Daily Labor Report, March 1, 2004, p. A-9.

7 See Eric Lekus, "UFCW says 70,000 Grocery Store Workers in California May Soon Hit the Picket Lines," Daily Labor Report, October 7,

2003, pp. A-11-13.

8 This dispute provides an example of why BLS uses the term "work stoppage" instead of distinguishing between strikes and lockouts. In this

instance, the evidence indicates that the dispute involved both a strike and a lockout. See "California Supermarkets, UFCW Planning to Meet

with Federal Mediator Oct. 10," Daily Labor Report, October 10, 2003, p. A-8; and Eric Lekus, "Workers Picket Three Grocery Store Chains As

Work Stoppage in California Continues," Daily Labor Report, October 15, 2003, p. A-6.

9 See Catherine Hollingsworth, "UFCW Drops Picket Lines at Ralphs; Strike Will Be Extended to Other Areas," Daily Labor Report, November

3, 2003, p. A-8.

10 See "Talks in California Grocery Dispute Break off Shortly After They Resume," Daily Labor Report, December 23, 2003, p. A-6.

11 See Eric Lekus, "California Supermarket Work Stoppage Enters Fourth Month as Informal Talks Break Down," Daily Labor Report, January

13, 2004, pp. A-5-6.

12 Before the UFCW made the arbitration proposal, the three employers released a statement saying that their representatives had met with

the international union leaders in Denver on January 15-16. According to Eric Lekus, "These meetings resulted in proposed solutions, which

the companies believed could have ended this ongoing labor dispute. These solutions were apparently rejected by the Southern California

UFCW Local Unions and were never presented to striking and locked out workers." A spokeswoman for two of the locals involved in the work

stoppage said that the meetings did not involve leaders of the locals and that the companies were still offering "a very negative proposal." See

Eric Lekus, "California Grocery Chains Decline UFCW’s Offer to Settle Dispute Through Arbitration," Daily Labor Report, February 5, 2004, pp.

A-8-9.

13 See Eric Lekus "California Settlement Maintains Most Health Benefits, Creates Two-Tier Wages," Daily Labor Report, March 2, 2004, pp.

A-1-4.

14 Under the proposal, however, the employers still would have paid about 90 percent of employees’ covered medical expenses. See "UFCW

Members at St. Louis Grocery Chains Reject 47-Month Proposal; Strike Vote Set," Daily Labor Report, October 2, 2003, pp. A-11-12.

15 See Eric Lekus, "UFCW Local 655 Strikes St. Louis Chain; Two Other Grocery Chains Lock Out Workers," Daily Labor Report, October 8,

2003, pp. A-3-4.

16 See Eric Lekus, "St. Louis UFCW Members Ratify Contract Ending 25-Day Supermarket Work Stoppage," Daily Labor Report, November 3,

2003, pp. A-9-10.

17 The Kroger Company, which also owns Ralphs, closed 37 supermarkets in West Virginia, 5 in southeast Ohio, and 2 in Ashland, Kentucky.

See Bebe Raupe, "Kroger Co. Closes 44 Supermarkets in Three States Following UFCW Strike," Daily Labor Report, October 15, 2003, pp.

A-7-8.

18 Ibid. 19 See Bebe Raupe, "Kroger Reopens 41 Stores After Ratification of New Contract; Closes Three Other Stores," Daily Labor Report, December 16, 2003, pp. A-8-9.

20 Ibid.
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Table 1. Work Stoppages Involving 1,000 or More Workers, 1947-2003

Period Number of stoppages

beginning in period

Number of workers involved(1)

(in thousands)

Number of days idle(2) (in

thousands)

Percent of estimated

working time(3)

1947 270 1,629 25,720 (4)

1948 245 1,435 26,127 0.22

1949 262 2,537 43,420 0.38

1950 424 1,698 30,390 0.26

1951 415 1,462 15,070 0.12

1952 470 2,746 48,820 0.38

1953 437 1,623 18,130 0.14

1954 265 1,075 16,630 0.13

1955 363 2,055 21,180 0.16

1956 287 1,370 26,840 0.2

1957 279 887 10,340 0.07

1958 332 1,587 17,900 0.13

1959 245 1,381 60,850 0.43

1960 222 896 13,260 0.09

1961 195 1,031 10,140 0.07

1962 211 793 11,760 0.08

1963 181 512 10,020 0.07

1964 246 1,183 16,220 0.11

1965 268 999 15,140 0.1

1966 321 1,300 16,000 0.1

1967 381 2,192 31,320 0.18

1968 392 1,855 35,367 0.2

1969 412 1,576 29,397 0.16

1970 381 2,468 52,761 0.29

1971 298 2,516 35,538 0.19

1972 250 975 16,764 0.09

1973 317 1,400 16,260 0.08

1974 424 1,796 31,809 0.16

1975 235 965 17,563 0.09

1976 231 1,519 23,962 0.12

1977 298 1,212 21,258 0.1

1978 219 1,006 23,774 0.11

1979 235 1,021 20,409 0.09

1980 187 795 20,844 0.09

1981 145 729 16,908 0.07

Footnotes:

(1) Workers are counted more than once if they are involved in more than one stoppage during the reference period.

(2) Days idle includes all stoppages 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) Data are not available.

(5) Less than 0.005.
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Period Number of stoppages

beginning in period

Number of workers involved(1)

(in thousands)

Number of days idle(2) (in

thousands)

Percent of estimated

working time(3)

1982 96 656 9,061 0.04

1983 81 909 17,461 0.08

1984 62 376 8,499 0.04

1985 54 324 7,079 0.03

1986 69 533 11,861 0.05

1987 46 174 4,481 0.02

1988 40 118 4,381 0.02

1989 51 452 16,996 0.07

1990 44 185 5,926 0.02

1991 40 392 4,584 0.02

1992 35 364 3,989 0.01

1993 35 182 3,981 0.01

1994 45 322 5,021 0.02

1995 31 192 5,771 0.02

1996 37 273 4,889 0.02

1997 29 339 4,497 0.01

1998 34 387 5,116 0.02

1999 17 73 1,996 0.01

2000 39 394 20,419 0.06

2001 29 99 1,151 (5)

2002 19 46 660 (5)

2003 14 129 4,091 0.01

Footnotes:

(1) Workers are counted more than once if they are involved in more than one stoppage during the reference period.

(2) Days idle includes all stoppages 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) Data are not available.

(5) Less than 0.005.

Table 2. Work Stoppages Involving 5,000 or More Workers Beginning in 2003

Organizations involved and location (1) Industry code 

(2)

Beginning

date Ending date Number ofworkers (3) Days idle

General Electric Company

Interstate

Communication Workers (IUE-CWA);

United Electrical Workers (UE-Ind)

334612 1/14/03 1/15/03 17,500 35,000

Footnotes:

(1) Labor organizations are affiliated with the AFL-CIO except where noted as independent (Ind.).

(2) Industry code is from the 2002 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System).

(3) The number of workers is rounded to the nearest 100.

(4) As of December 31, 2003, the work stoppage was still ongoing.

(5) The number of workers idled on October 12, 2003 was 59,300; on November 24, 2003 the number increased to 67,300 and on December

23, 2003 the number decreased to 61,300.
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Organizations involved and location (1) Industry code 

(2)

Beginning

date Ending date Number ofworkers (3) Days idle

The County of San Joaquin 

(Stockton, CA) 

Service Employees (SEIU)

921190 8/4/03 8/8/03 5,000 25,000

Dierbergs, Schnucks, and Shop 'n Save

(St. Louis, MO)

Food and Commerical Workers (UFCW)

445110 10/7/03 10/31/03 10,200 183,600

Albertsons, Ralphs, and Vons

(Southern CA)

Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)

445110 10/12/03 (4) 67300(5) 3,374,200

Los Angeles County Metropolitan

Transportation Authority

(Los Angeles, CA)

Transit Workers (ATU)

485111 10/14/03 11/17/03 6,200 148,800

Footnotes:

(1) Labor organizations are affiliated with the AFL-CIO except where noted as independent (Ind.).

(2) Industry code is from the 2002 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System).

(3) The number of workers is rounded to the nearest 100.

(4) As of December 31, 2003, the work stoppage was still ongoing.

(5) The number of workers idled on October 12, 2003 was 59,300; on November 24, 2003 the number increased to 67,300 and on December

23, 2003 the number decreased to 61,300.

Table 3. Duration of Work Stoppages Beginning in 2002 and 2003

Duration

2002 2003

Number Percent Number Percent

1-2 days 2 11 1 7

3-10 days 4 21 6 43

11-20 days 5 26 1 7

21-30 days 3 16 2 14

31-40 days 1 5 2 14

41-50 days 3 16 1 7

over 50 days 1 5 1 7

Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding.
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Data for Chart 1. Number of Major Work Stoppages, 1947-2003

Period Beginning in Period

1947 270

1948 245

1949 262

1950 424

1951 415

1952 470

1953 437

1954 265

1955 363

1956 287

1957 279

1958 332

1959 245

1960 222

1961 195

1962 211

1963 181

1964 247

1965 268

1966 321

1967 381

1968 392

1969 412

1970 381
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Period Beginning in Period

1971 298

1972 250

1973 317

1974 424

1975 235

1976 231

1977 298

1978 219

1979 235

1980 187

1981 145

1982 96

1983 81

1984 62

1985 54

1986 69

1987 46

1988 40

1989 51

1990 44

1991 40

1992 35

1993 35

1994 45

1995 31

1996 37

1997 29

1998 34

1999 17

2000 39

2001 29

2002 19

2003 14
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Data for Chart 2. Number of workers involved in major work stoppages, 1947-2003

Period Workers (in thousands)

1947 1629

1948 1435

1949 2537

1950 1698

1951 1462

1952 2746

1953 1623

1954 1075

1955 2055

1956 1370

1957 887

1958 1587

1959 1381

1960 896

1961 1031

1962 793

1963 512

1964 1183

1965 999

1966 1300

1967 2192

1968 1855

1969 1576

1970 2468
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Period Workers (in thousands)

1971 2516

1972 975

1973 1400

1974 1796

1975 965

1976 1519

1977 1212

1978 1006

1979 1021

1980 795

1981 729

1982 656

1983 909

1984 376

1985 324

1986 533

1987 174

1988 118

1989 452

1990 185

1991 392

1992 364

1993 182

1994 322

1995 192

1996 273

1997 339

1998 387

1999 73

2000 394

2001 99

2002 46

2003 129
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Data for Chart 3. Number of Days of Idleness Due to Major Work Stoppages, 1947-2003

Year Days (in thousands)

1947 25720

1948 26127

1949 43420

1950 30390

1951 15070

1952 48820

1953 18130

1954 16630

1955 21180

1956 26840

1957 10340

1958 17900

1959 60850

1960 13260

1961 10140

1962 11760

1963 10020

1964 16220

1965 15140

1966 16000

1967 31320

1968 35367

1969 29397

1970 52761
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Year Days (in thousands)

1971 35538

1972 16764

1973 16260

1974 31809

1975 17563

1976 23962

1977 21258

1978 23774

1979 20409

1980 20844

1981 16908

1982 9061

1983 17461

1984 8499

1985 7079

1986 11861

1987 4481

1988 4381

1989 16996

1990 5926

1991 4584

1992 3989

1993 3981

1994 5021

1995 5771

1996 4889

1997 4497

1998 5116

1999 1996

2000 20419

2001 1151

2002 660

2003 4091

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