Workers idled by major work stoppages, 1947-99 (thousands) Thousands of workers 1947 1,629 1948 1,435 1949 2,537 1950 1,698 1951 1,462 1952 2,746 1953 1,623 1954 1,075 1955 2,055 1956 1,370 1957 887 1958 1,587 1959 1,381 1960 896 1961 1,031 1962 793 1963 512 1964 1,183 1965 999 1966 1,300 1967 2,192 1968 1,855 1969 1,576 1970 2,468 1971 2,516 1972 975 1973 1,400 1974 1,796 1975 965 1976 1,519 1977 1,212 1978 1,006 1979 1,021 1980 795 1981 729 1982 656 1983 909 1984 376 1985 324 1986 533 1987 174 1988 118 1989 452 1990 185 1991 392 1992 364 1993 182 1994 322 1995 192 1996 273 1997 339 1998 387 1999 73