2002 Major Work Stoppages (Annual) — 2003-03-11

The number of workers idled, the number of days of idleness, and the percent of estimated working time lost because of strikes and lockouts were at historic lows in 2002, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Nineteen major work stoppages began during the year, idling 46,000 workers and resulting in 660,000 workdays of idleness (less than 1 out of every 10,000 available workdays). Comparable figures for 2001 were 29 stoppages, 99,000 workers idled, and 1.2 million days of idleness. (See table 1.) The major work stoppages series, which dates back to 1947, covers strikes and lockouts involving 1,000 workers or more and lasting at least one shift. Of the major work stoppages beginning in 2002, 16 were in private industry and three were in state and local government. In private industry, the largest number of stoppages (five) occurred in the manufacturing sector, the construction sector (three) and the transportation and warehousing sector (three).