In 2021, there were 16 major work stoppages beginning in the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A major work stoppage involves 1,000 or more workers and lasts at least one shift during the work week, Monday through Friday excluding Federal holidays.
The lowest annual total of major work stoppages was 5 in 2009 and the highest was 470 in 1952. Between the years 2000-2021, there have been an average of 17 work stoppages beginning in the year.
There were 80,700 workers involved in major work stoppages that began in 2021. Service-providing industries accounted for 76 percent of idled workers over the year or 61,000 workers. Within service-providing industries, the education and health services sector accounted for the idling of 52,600 workers; 45,400 health care and social assistance workers and 7,200 educational services workers were idled as a result of major work stoppages.
In 2021, goods-producing industries accounted for 24 percent of idled workers or 19,700 workers. Within goods-producing industries, the manufacturing sector accounted for the idling of the majority of workers involved in work stoppages; 16,600 manufacturing workers were involved in major work stoppages in 2021.
In 2021, there was one local government work stoppage, where 2,000 workers were idled 11 days resulting in 22,000 days of idleness. In private industry, 78,700 workers were idled beginning in the year, resulting in 1,081,700 cumulative days of idleness.
