2008 Major Work Stoppages (Annual) — 2009-02-11

Major work stoppages idled 72,000 workers for nearly two million workdays in 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor�s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In 2008, the number of workers idled declined by more than half compared with 2007 when there were 189,000 workers idled for 1.3 million workdays. In 2008, the largest work stoppage in total days idle and number of workers was between the Boeing Company and the International Association of Machinists Districts 24, 70, and 751 with 27,000 workers accounting for 1,053,000 lost workdays. In 2008, there were 15 major lockouts and strikes involving 1,000 or more workers compared with 21 major work stoppages in 2007. (See table 1 and charts A-F) Of the 15 major work stoppages beginning in 2008, 12 were in private industry and three were in State and local government. In private industry, seven work stoppages occurred in goods-producing industries along with five in service-producing industries.