Work Stoppages Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, February 22, 2023	                            USDL-23-0350

Technical information:	(202) 691-6199     workstoppagesinfo@bls.gov     www.bls.gov/wsp
Media contact:	        (202) 691-5902     pressoffice@bls.gov


                                   MAJOR WORK STOPPAGES IN 2022

In 2022, there were 23 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 2002-2022, there have been an average of 16 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 120,600 workers involved in major work stoppages that began in 2022. Service-providing 
industries accounted for 118,400 workers, or 98 percent of idled workers over the year. Within 
service-providing industries, the education and health services sector accounted for the idling of 
106,300 workers, the educational services sector for 69,500 workers, and the health care and social 
assistance sector for 36,800 workers. 

In 2022, work stoppages in goods-producing industries accounted for 2,200 workers, or a little under 
2 percent of idled workers over the year. Within goods-producing industries, the manufacturing sector 
accounted for 1,000 workers idled and forestry and logging accounted for 1,200 workers idled.

In 2022, seven local government and two state government work stoppages began, idling 68,800 workers 
and resulting in 1,429,100 cumulative days of idleness. In private industry, 51,800 workers were 
idled beginning in the year, resulting in 549,000 cumulative days of idleness.