February 29, 2000 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Workers idled by work stoppages in 1999

In 1999, only 73,000 workers were involved in major work stoppages. This was the lowest level in the 53-year-old series and the first time the level was below 100,000.

[Chart data—TXT]

In comparison, in 1998, major work stoppages idled 387,000 workers . This series peaked in 1952, when 2,746,000 workers were involved in stoppages.

These data are a product of the BLS Office of Compensation and Working Conditions, Collective Bargaining Agreements. Learn more about work stoppages from news release USDL 00-51, "Major Work Stoppages, 1999." Major work stoppages are defined as strikes or lockouts that idle 1,000 or more workers and last at least one shift.