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Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more, 1947-93
Table 2. Work stoppages involving 5,000 workers or more beginning in 1993
Technical information
Michael Cimini (202) 606-6275
Media Contact: (202) 606-5902

USDL 94-69
For Release: Immediate
Thursday, February 10, 1994

MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES, 1993
In 1993, measures of work stoppage activity were at the lowest or
next-to-lowest levels recorded in the 47-year-old series, the U.S.
Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirtyfive major stoppages began during the year, idling 182,000 workers and
resulting in about 4.0 million days of idleness or about 1 out of every
10,000 available work days. The comparatively low levels in 1993 continued
the pattern that has generally prevailed for the past several years. (See
table 1.) The series, which dates back to 1947, covers strikes and lockouts
involving 1,000 workers or more and lasting at least one shift.
Of the 35 major work stoppages beginning in 1993, 29 were in the private
sector--including nine in manufacturing and four each in transportation,
utilities, mining, and retail trade. In the public sector, all six
stoppages involved local government employees. Five of the disputes were in
education.
Several industries had significant numbers of workers covered by major
collective bargaining settlements that were successfully negotiated in 1993
without a major work stoppage: Communications (461,000 workers); petroleum
refining (183,000); amd primary metals (155,000 workers). Industries with
the most days of idleness during the year due to work stoppages were mining
(2.2 million days), transportation (422,000 days), utilities (300,000 days),
and retail trade (279,000 days).
The 1993 stoppage involving the most workers was between New Jersey and
New York retail food stores and 23,800 employees represented by the Food and

Commercial Workers, who were out 53 days. Following closely were the
stoppages involving Boeing Co. and the Seattle Professional Engineering
Employees Association (21,000 workers out 1 day) and American Airlines and
the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (19,000 out 5 days).
More than one-half of the
days--stemmed from the dispute
Association and 16,800 members
than 31 weeks, making this the

year's work stoppage idleness--2.2 million
involving the Bituminous Coal Operators
of the United Mine Workers, who were out more
longest stoppage beginning in 1993.

The longest stoppage in effect during the year involved 1,600 tugboat
and barge crew members represented by the International Longshoremen's
Association and employed by companies in the Port of New York and New Jersey.
The stoppage, which began February 15, 1988, was dropped as a major work
stoppage on December 20, 1993, after enough employees returned to work to
bring the number still idle below 1,000.

The term "major work stoppage" includes worker initiated strikes, as
well as lockouts of workers by their employers, involving 1,000 workers
or more. The Bureau does not attempt to distinguish between strikes and
lockouts in its statistics. Annual data are reported in a news release
after the end of each year. Monthly work stoppage data appear in the
BLS periodicals, Monthly Labor Review and Compensation and Working
Conditions.
Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more, 1947-93
__________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
Stoppages 1/
|
Days idle 1/
___________________|_________________________
|
|
|
|
Year
|
| Workers |
| Percent of
|Number | involved | Number
| estimated
|
|(thousands)|(thousands)|
working
|
|
|
|
time 2/
__________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
1947.......................| 270 |
1,629
|
25,720 |
(3)
1948.......................| 245 |
1,435
|
26,127 |
0.22
1949 ......................| 262 |
2,537
|
43,420 |
.38
|
|
|
|
1950 ......................| 424 |
1,698
|
30,390 |
.26
1951.......................| 415 |
1,462
|
15,070 |
.12
1952 ......................| 470 |
2,746
|
48,820 |
.38

1953 ......................|
1954 ......................|
|
1955 ......................|
1956.......................|
1957.......................|
1958 ......................|
1959 ......................|
|
1960 ......................|
1961.......................|
1962.......................|
1963.......................|
1964.......................|
|
1965.......................|
1966.......................|
1967.......................|
1968.......................|
1969.......................|
|
1970.......................|
1971.......................|
1972.......................|
1973.......................|
1974.......................|
|
1975.......................|
1976.......................|
1977.......................|
1978.......................|
1979.......................|
|
1980.......................|
1981.......................|
1982.......................|
1983.......................|
1984.......................|
|
1985.......................|
1986.......................|
1987.......................|
1988.......................|
1989.......................|
|
1990.......................|

437
265
363
287
279
332
245
222
195
211
181
246
268
321
381
392
412
381
298
250
317
424
235
231
298
219
235
187
145
96
81
62
54
69
46
40
51
44

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1,623
1,075
2,055
1,370
887
1,587
1,381
896
1,031
793
512
1,183
999
1,300
2,192
1,855
1,576
2,468
2,516
975
1,400
1,796
965
1,519
1,212
1,006
1,021
795
729
656
909
376
324
533
174
118
452
185

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18,130
16,630
21,180
26,840
10,340
17,900
60,850
13,260
10,140
11,760
10,020
16,220
15,140
16,000
31,320
35,367
29,397
52,761
35,538
16,764
16,260
31,809
17,563
23,962
21,258
23,774
20,409
20,844
16,908
9,061
17,461
8,499
7,079
11,861
4,481
4,381
16,996
5,926

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.14
.13
.16
.20
.07
.13
.43
.09
.07
.08
.07
.11
.10
.10
.18
.20
.16
.29
.19
.09
.08
.16
.09
.12
.10
.11
.09
.09
.07
.04
.08
.04
.03
.05
.02
.02
.07
.02

1991.......................|
40 |
392
|
4,584 |
.02
1992.......................|
35 |
364
|
3,989 |
.01
1993.......................|
35 |
182
|
3,981 |
.01
__________________________________________________________________________
1/ The number of stoppages and
2/ Total working time is
workers relate to stoppages that
for all employees, except
began in the year. Days of
those in private households,
idleness include all stoppages in
forestry, and fisheries.
effect. Workers are counted more
3/ Not available.
than once if they are involved in
more than one stoppage during the
year.
Table 2.

Work stoppages involving 5,000 workers or more beginning in 1993

Employer, location, and union
Boeing Co.
Seattle, WA
Seattle Professional Engineering
Employees Association
Bituminous Coal Operators
Association
Interstate
Mine Workers
Douglas Aircraft Co.
California
Machinists
Kaiser Permanente
Southern California
Service Employees
Retail food stores
(Shoprite, Pathmark, Grand
Union and Foodtown)
New Jersey and New York
Food and Commercial Workers
Bituminous Coal Operators
Association
Interstate
Mine Workers

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Began
1/19/93

2/2/93

3/2/93

4/1/93

5/7/93

5/10/93

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Ended
1/19/93

3/2/93

3/3/93

4/1/93

5/29/93

12/14/93

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Workers
|
involved(1) |
|
21,000
|
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|
|
|
6,700
|
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|
|
6,800
|
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|
12,000
|
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23,800
|
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|
16,800
|
|
|
|

Estimated days
idle in 1994(1)
21,000

103,400

13,600

12,000

246,200

2,203,000

|
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9/1/93
|
9/9/93
|
9,000
|
54,000
|
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Southern California Gas Co.
|
10/1/93
|
10/1/93
|
6,000
|
6,000
Southern California
|
|
|
|
Utility Workers and
|
|
|
|
Chemical Workers
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
Boston public schools
| 10/27/93
|
10/27/93 |
5,700
|
5,700
Boston, MA
|
|
|
|
Teachers (AFT)
|
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|
|
|
Caterpillar Inc.
| 11/11/93
| 11/14/93
|
14,000
|
14,000
Illinois, Colorado, and
|
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|
|
Pennsylvania
|
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|
|
Automobile Workers
|
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|
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|
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|
American Airlines
| 11/18/93
| 11/22/93
|
19,000
|
57,000
Interstate
|
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|
|
Association of Professional
|
|
|
|
Flight Attendants
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Los Angeles Department
of Water and Power
Los Angeles, CA
Electrical Workers (IBEW)
and Engineers and Architects

1 Workers and days idle are rounded to the nearest 100.
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