January 17, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Shorter work stoppages in 1999

The average length of major work stoppages that began in 1999 was about 16 days, compared with 26 days in 1998 and 20 days in 1997.

[Chart data—TXT]

Disputes were concentrated in the 1-2 day and 7-14 day ranges in 1999. About 70 percent of stoppages lasted for 2 weeks or less, while 18 percent extended for more than 21 days.

The longest stoppage in effect in 1999 was at Kaiser Aluminum; the strike began in October 1998 and continued into 2000. The second longest was at Continental General Tire Company.

These data are a product of the BLS Office of Compensation and Working Conditions, Collective Bargaining Agreements. Additional information is available from "Work Stoppages in 1999" (PDF 97K), by Fehmida Sleemi, Compensation and Working Conditions, Fall 2000. Major work stoppages are defined as strikes or lockouts that idle 1,000 or more workers and last at least one shift.