United States

Organization responsible for the statistics

The statistics are collected, compiled and published by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Objectives and users

Not available.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts

The statistics cover: Political strikes, working to rule, go-slows and overtime bans are not covered.

Minimum threshold A minimum of 1,000 workers simultaneously involved, with the stoppage lasting at least a full shift.

Prior to 1982: stoppages involving six employees or more and lasting at least a full shift.

Economic activities

No particular branches of economic activity or sectors are excluded.

Workers

Workers directly involved and workers indirectly involved. As well as regular paid employees, including part-time workers, the statistics cover temporary, casual and seasonal workers. Workers laid off, or absent during the stoppage for any other reason (sick leave, annual leave, etc.) are not included.

No particular occupational groups are excluded.

Geographic areas

Whole country.

Types of data collected

Concepts and definitions

Work stoppage

The temporary cessation of work by a group of employees to express a grievance or enforce a demand or the temporary withholding of work by an employer or group of employers to enforce terms of employment on a group of employees.

This is a working definition for statistical purposes

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts

A strike is recorded as any group of 1,000 or more workers involved in a work stoppage. The continuation of a strike or lockout that is interrupted but later resumes still due to the same case of dispute is treated as a new strike or lockout if the period of interruption exceeds one work shift.

Work stoppages resulting from the same case of dispute and occurring simultaneously either in different establishments of the same enterprises or in establishments of different enterprise are regarded as one strike or lockout. Those resulting from the same case of dispute but occurring at different times in different establishments of the same enterprse or in establishments of different enterprises are counted as separate strikes or lockouts.

Workers involved

The number of workers involved is the maximum number of workers that took part during the course of the stoppage, even if some workers participated for only part of the duration. Part-time workers are counted as individuals on the same basis as full-time workers.

Duration

The duration is measured in straight calendar days from the date on which the stoppage began in the first economic unit involved up to the date on which it terminated in the last one.

Time not worked

Total time not worked is measured in workdays, by ascertaining the total amount of time not worked on each day of the strike and summing these totals. Time not worked is measured for all workers involved, whether directly or indirectly. The shorter working hours of part-time workers are taken into account as follows: the average number of hours normally worked per day by part-time employees is multiplied by the number of such employees and the resulting estimate of time lost is combined with the estimate for full-time employees. Overtime is not taken into account.

Classifications

Branch of economic activity

The data are classified by branch of economic activity using the Standard Industrial Classification system, developed by the Office of Management and Budget. In the case of a multi-industry stoppage, workers involved are apportioned according to the industry in which they are employed.

Reference period and periodicity

The statistics are compiled and published for periods of one month and one year. The information published on the number of strikes and lockouts and the number of workers involved refers only to stoppages beginning during the particular reference period. The published data on time not worked relate to stoppages beginning during the reference period plus those continuing from the previous period.

Analytical measures

The percent of estimated working time lost per month or year is calculated by dividing the aggregate number of workdays lost due to stoppages by the aggregate number of workdays available in the economy, excluding national holidays. This measure is used for comparing the impact of stoppages on the economy between different periods.

Historical background of the series

Not available.

Documentation

Series available

Not available.

Bibliographic references

US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Monthly Labor Review (monthly);

Idem: Current Wage Developments (monthly);

Idem: Press releases (annual, in February);

Idem: Handbook of Labor Statistics (occasional).

Data published by the ILO

The number of strikes and lockouts, the number of workers involved, the number of days not worked and rates of days not worked, by economic activity.

Confidentiality

Not available.

International standards

Not available.

Methods of data collection

There is no legal obligation to report the occurrence of a strike or lockout. The initial information is obtained from a nationwide review of general newspapers and union periodicals, and from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Telephone calls are then made to union and management officials to obtain details. Even if there are no indications of a stoppage, telephone contact is made with the officials at the termination of an agreement to determine the outcome of the negotiations, including possible stoppages.