Full text of 2006 : Text File : USDL 07-0304
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Information: USDL 07-0304
(202) 691-6275 cbainfo@bls.gov
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MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2006
Major work stoppages idled 70,000 workers with 2.7 million lost workdays in 2006, the U.S.
Department of Labor�s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The number of workers involved
declined from 2005, but the number of workdays lost increased by an additional 1 million over
the 2005 figure. The major work stoppages series, which dates back to 1947, covers strikes
and lockouts involving 1,000 or more employees and lasting at least one shift. For work
stoppages that began in 2005, only days of idleness in calendar year 2006 are counted.
The total number of lockouts and strikes beginning in calendar year 2006 was 20. For
2005 there were 22 stoppages, with 1.7 million workdays of idleness involving 99,600 workers.
(See table 1 and charts A-C). Of the 20 major work stoppages beginning in 2006, 12 were
in private industry and eight were in State and local governments. In private
industry, five work stoppages occurred in both manufacturing and construction, and one
stoppage each in janitorial services and automotive dealerships. Of the eight work stoppages
in State and local governments, four work stoppages involved municipal and county workers, two
involved educational services, and one each in public transportation and health care.
While the number of work stoppages and workers involved both declined from 2005 to
2006, the number of lost workdays rose substantially, due to the length of some work
stoppages. The mean length of a work stoppage beginning in 2006 was 26.5 days, up from
20 days in 2005 and 14.6 days in 2004. The median length of a work stoppage beginning in
2006 was 10 days, up from 6 days in 2005, and 5 days in 2004. Most work stoppages are
relatively short in duration, but the mean is influenced by several long work stoppages.
The longest work stoppage beginning in 2006 lasted 211 days and involved the AK Steel
Corporation and the Armco Employees Independent Federation.
The largest work stoppage in terms of idleness was between Northwest Airlines and
the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, with 812,100 workdays lost in 2006 and
1,183,800 workdays lost in total since the work stoppage began on August 20, 2005. The second
largest work stoppage in terms of idleness, and the largest in terms of worker participation
with 12,600 employees involved, was between the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the
United Steelworkers of America, with 718,000 days idled in 2006.
Table A. Duration of work stoppages beginning in 2006, 2005, and 2004
Duration 2006 2005 2004
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1-2 days 5 25 4 18 3 18
3-10 days 6 30 8 36 6 35
11-20 days 5 25 5 23 2 12
21-30 days 1 5 1 5 1 6
31-40 days 1 5 1 5 2 12
41-50 days 0 0 0 0 0 0
>50 days 2 10 3 14 3 18
Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding. The
2004 and 2005 numbers represent the total duration of all work
stoppages initiated during those respective years. The 2006
numbers represent work stoppages initiated in 2006.
Table B. Number of work stoppages by the number of workers idled in 2006, 2005, and 2004
Number of workers idled 2006 2005 2004
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1,000 to 1,999 10 50 11 50 6 35
2,000 to 2,999 2 10 5 23 3 18
3,000 to 4,999 3 15 2 9 2 12
5,000 to 7,499 2 10 2 9 3 18
7,500 to 9,999 2 10 0 0 0 0
10,000 to 14,999 1 5 0 0 1 6
15,000 to 19,999 0 0 1 5 1 6
20,000 or more 0 0 1 5 1 6
Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding.
Table C. Number of work stoppages by number of work days idled in 2006, 2005, and 2004
Number of days 2006 2005 2004
of idleness Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
1,000 to 4,999 2 10 3 14 0 0
5,000 to 9,999 5 25 4 18 4 24
10,000 to 14,999 2 10 1 5 1 6
15,000 to 19,999 2 10 4 18 1 6
20,000 to 29,999 2 10 2 9 2 12
30,000 to 49,999 2 10 2 9 1 6
50,000 to 74,999 1 5 1 5 2 12
75,000 to 99,999 0 0 1 5 1 6
100,000 to 199,999 2 10 2 9 2 12
200,000 to 299,999 0 0 0 0 2 12
300,000 or more 2 10 2 9 1 6
Note: Percent totals may not add to 100 because of rounding. The 2004 and
2005 numbers represent the number of work days idled of all work stoppages
initiated during those respective years. The 2006 numbers represent work
stoppages initiated in 2006.
The term "major work stoppage" includes both worker-initiated strikes and
employer-initiated lockouts that involve 1,000 workers or more. 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 such as the Daily
Labor Report and the Wall Street Journal. 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 taking the number of workers involved in the strike or
lock-out and multiplying it by the number of days workers are off the job.
For detailed work stoppage statistics, please visit http://www.bls.gov/cba
Table 1. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers, 1947-2006
Number of Days idle(2)
work Numbers of
stoppages workers
Period beginning involved Percent of
in (thousands)- Number estimated
period (1) (thousands) working
time(3)
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
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.
Note: "Number of workers involved" in Table 1 reflects a tabulation of workers involved
in a work stoppage that began in a specific year. "Number of workers involved" in Table
3 reflects a tabulation of all workers involved in a work stoppage in that year without
making the distinction of when the work stoppage was initiated.
Table 2. Work stoppages involving 1,000 or more workers beginning in 2006 (listed by date stoppage
began).
Industry Beginning Ending Number of
Organizations involved code(1) date date workers(2) Days idle
and location
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
Stratford, CT, West Palm Beach,
FL
International Brotherhood of
Teamsters
Local 1150
Private Industry................ 336411 2/20/06 4/03/06 3,600 108,000
AK Steel Corp.
Middletown, OH
Armco Employees Independent
Federation
Private Industry................ 331111 3/01/06 (3) 2,300(4) 468,000
Santa Cruz County Government,
Santa Cruz, CA
Service Employees International
Union Local 415
Local Government................ 921190 3/14/06 3/15/06 1,600 1,600
Denver Regional Transportation
District
Denver, CO
Amalgamated Transit Union
Local 1001
Local Government................ 485110 4/03/06 4/09/06 1,700 8,500
Greater Metropolitan Automotive
Dealers Association of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
International Brotherhood of
Teamsters
Local 974
Private Industry................ 441110 4/17/06 5/09/06 1,400 23,800
General Building Contractors
Association (GBCA)
Philadelphia, PA
United Brotherhood of Carpenters
Metropolitan Regional Council of
Philadelphia
Private Industry................ 238350 5/01/06 5/02/06 5,000 5,000
MidAmerica Regional Bargaining
Association,
Chicago, IL,
Laborers International Union
Private Industry................ 237310 6/01/06 6/04/06 2,000 4,000
Mason Contractors Association and
Independent Employers,
St. Louis, MO and Vicinity
International Union of
Bricklayers and
Allied Craftworkers
Private Industry................ 238140 6/01/06 6/08/06 1,200 7,200
Grove Masory Maintenance Inc.,
Tuckpointing Contractors Association
Chicago, IL
International Union of
Bricklayers and
Allied Craftworkers
Private Industry................ 238140 6/12/06 6/17/06 1,600 8,000
Contra Costa County
Danville, CA
Service Employees International
Union
Local 535
The Association of Federal,
State and Municipal Employees
Locals 512 and 2700
Public Employees Local 1
The Western Council of
Engineers,
Physicians and Dentists of
Contra Costa
Local Government................ 921100 6/27/06 6/28/06 6,000 6,000
General Contractors Association of
Greater New York
New York, NY
International Union of
Operating Engineers
Private Industry................ 237990 7/01/06 7/07/06 3,000 12,000
Gary School District
Gary, IN
Gary Teachers Union
Local Government................ 611110 8/21/06 9/01/06 1,400 14,000
City of Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA
The Engineers and Architects
Association
Local Government................ 921100 8/22/06 8/23/06 7,500 15,000
Robert Wood Johnson University
Hospital
New Brunswick, NJ
United Steelworkers Health Care
Workers Council, Local 4-200
Local Government................ 622110 8/24/06 9/21/06 1,200 24,000
Detroit School District
Detroit, MI
Detroit Federation of Teachers,
Local 231
Local Government................ 611110 8/28/06 9/13/06 9,500 104,500
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento, CA
Stationary Engineers Local 39
American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees
District Council 57
Local 146
United Public Employees Local 1
Local Government................ 921100 9/05/06 9/18/06 3,900 39,000
Bombardier Learjet
Wichita, KS
International Association of
Machinists
Local 639
Private Industry................ 336411 10/02/06 10/23/06 1,100 16,500
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.
AL, NE, NY, NC, OH, KS, TN, TX,
VA, WI
United Steelworkers
Private Industry................ 326210 10/06/06 12/29/06 12,600 718,200
ABM Janitorial Services, GCA
Services Group
Sanitors Services of Texas,
Pritchard
Industries Southwest
Houston, TX
Service Employees International
Union
Local 5
Private Industry................ 561720 10/23/06 11/20/06 1,300 26,000
Raytheon Missle Systems
Tucson, AZ
International Association of
Machinists
Local 933
Private Industry................ 336414 11/06/06 (3) 1,900 70,300
1 Industry code is from the 2002 NAICS (North American Industry Classification System).
2 BLS rounds figures to the nearest 100. Companies and unions may have rounded the figures before
providing them to BLS.
3 This work stoppage was still active as of December 31, 2006. All data presented are for the 2006
calendar year.
4 Work stoppage began with 2,600 workers in March 2006. It later decreased to 2,400 workers in
April; 2,300 workers in July; 1,900 workers in October; and 1,800 workers in November. Average number
of workers is reported in the table.