2025 Major Work Stoppages (Annual) — 2026-02-20

In 2025, there were 30 major work stoppages beginning in the year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The lowest annual total of major work stoppages was 5 in 2009 and the highest was 470 in 1952. Between the years 2006-2025, there have been an average of 17.8 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 306,800 workers involved in major work stoppages that began in 2025. Service-providing industries accounted for 300,600 workers, or 98.0 percent of idled workers over the year. Within service-providing industries, the education and health services sector accounted for the idling of 196,500 workers, the public administration sector for 82,300 workers, and the other services sectors for 21,800 workers.