Because the EPI article says a long time of federal coverage and courtroom selections have positioned restrict on Labor’s to strike as allowed below the Nationwide Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Evolving over time, thousands and thousands of employees have been excluded from the NLRA proper to strike. As you possibly can see on the graph beneath the numbers of strikes have decreased. The variety of folks hanging did enhance after the pandemic. Nonetheless, the numbers are down. Just a few historical past and questioning whether or not the necessity to strike has lessened?
Main work stoppages in 2024, EPI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines “major work stoppages” as these involving no less than 1,000 employees and lasting one full work shift between Monday–Friday, excluding federal holidays. BLS information present that 271,500 employees have been concerned in 31 main work stoppages that started in 2024. It is a lower from 2023, when 458,900 employees participated in 33 main stoppages. Nonetheless, strike exercise in 2024 remains to be considerably larger in contrast with common strike exercise throughout the twenty first century. Since 2000, there was a median of solely 148,700 employees concerned in 18.6 main work stoppages per yr. Regardless of a slowdown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the variety of employees concerned in main work stoppages in 2023 and 2024 has rebounded near the excessive pre-pandemic ranges, as proven in Determine A.
Notes: The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t distinguish between strikes and lockouts in its work stoppage information. Nonetheless, lockouts (that are initiated by administration) are uncommon relative to strikes, so it’s cheap to think about the foremost work stoppage information as a proxy for information on main strikes. Information are for public- and private-sector employees.
Supply: Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Work Stoppages Summary” (information launch), February 20, 2025, and associated desk, “Annual Work Stoppages Involving 1,000 or More Workers, 1947–Present.”
Most main work stoppages in 2024 came about within the personal sector—roughly 68% (21 of them). 9 main work stoppages came about in state authorities and one in native authorities. Amongst strikes within the personal sector, 5 have been within the well being care sector, three in lodging and meals, and three in retail. Seven of the 9 main work stoppages in state authorities have been within the schooling business, involving public schools and universities.
Main work stoppages came about in 18 states throughout the usin 2024. The 5 states with essentially the most stoppages have been California (10), Oregon (5), Washington (5), Illinois (3), and New York (3).
Examples of main work stoppages in 2024
The work stoppages information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics embody a breakdown of the organizations at which main work stoppages occurred. The information, mixed with an EPI evaluate of publicly out there sources, recommend a spread of strike exercise in 2024. Recurring themes of main stoppages in 2024 embody bettering pay, increasing advantages, and addressing office questions of safety. The next are examples of main work stoppages lined by the BLS information.
Boston College graduate employee strike
Roughly 3,000 employees at Boston College went on strike in March 2024. Staff have been represented by the Boston College Graduate Staff Union (BUGWU)and consists of all graduate college students engaged in paid analysis, educational, and educating work on the college. The employees voted to go on strike to enhance pay, increase childcare advantages, and strengthen imaginative and prescient and dental insurance coverage.
Dockworker strike
The U.S. port strike was one of many largest strikes in 2024. On October 1, 2024, greater than 47,000 dock employees in 36 ports throughout the nation went on strike. The employees, represented by the Worldwide Longshoremen’s Affiliation (ILA), licensed a strike after the union and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX) failed to achieve settlement after a number of months of negotiations. The ILA was looking for pay raises accounting for inflation consistent with rising delivery earnings (within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic) and stronger language to guard employees from the impression of automation. The 2-day strike concluded after the ILA and USMX reached a tentative settlement that included a 62% pay enhance for employees over the size of a six-year contract.
AT&T employee strike
AT&T employee strike spanned the Southeast was one other historic main work stoppage. In August 2024, ~17,000 AT&T employees went on strike in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Staff, represented by the Communications Staff of America (CWA), consists of technicians, customer support representatives, and others. The CWA members voted to strike after submitting unfair labor observe costs towards AT&T for failing to discount in good religion.
Boeing employee strike
September 13, 2024, 33,000 Boeing employees represented by the Worldwide Affiliation of Machinists and Aerospace Staff (IAM) went on strike in Washington, Oregon, and California. This being the primary strike at Boeing since 2008. Since then, Boeing employees skilled wage stagnation and important lack of advantages. For instance, Boeing froze employees’ conventional pension plan in 2014. Boeing employees (96%) voted in favor of approving a strike after rejecting a proposal of a 25% wage will increase over 4 years.
North Shore educator strikes
November 2024: ~2,000 public faculty lecturers in Beverly, Gloucester and Marblehead, Massachusetts, went on strike. The strike began after the Massachusetts Academics Affiliation and the varsity districts failed to achieve settlement over aggressive pay for lecturers and paraprofessionals, paid parental go away advantages, and considerations about faculty security and sophistication dimension. The 2+week strike ended after the unions and college districts reached an settlement . . . included pay will increase for lecturers and paraprofessionals, growth of paid go away advantages, and enhancements in classroom security.
