2023 Major Work Stoppages (Annual) — 2024-02-21

In 2023, there were 33 major work stoppages beginning in the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This is the largest number of major work stoppages since there were 39 in 2000. The lowest annual total of major work stoppages was 5 in 2009 and the highest was 470 in 1952. Over the last 20 years (2004-2023), there have been an average of 16.7 work stoppages beginning in the year. 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. There were 458,900 workers involved in major work stoppages that began in 2023. Service-providing industries accounted for 397,700 workers, or 86.7 percent of idled workers over the year. Within service-providing industries, the education and health services sector accounted for the idling of 188,900 workers, the information sector for 171,500 workers, and the other sectors for 37,300 workers.