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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.