1998 Major Work Stoppages (Annual) — 1999-02-10

All measures of major work stoppage activity rose in 1998, although they were low by historical standards, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Thirty-four major work stoppages began during 1998, idling 387,000 workers and resulting in 5.1 million work days of idleness (about 2 out of every 10,000 available work days). Comparable figures for 1997 were 29 stoppages, 339,000 workers idled, and 4.5 million days of idleness. (See table 1 and charts 1-3.) 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 34 major work stoppages beginning in 1998, 30 were in the private sector, and the remainder occurred in State and local government, primarily in educational services. In the private sector, an equal number of stoppages occurred in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries.