After increasing dramatically in 2018 and 2019, major strike activity dropped in 2020: Number of workers involved in major work stoppages, 1973–2020
| Year | Number of workers |
|---|---|
| 1973 | 1,400,000 |
| 1974 | 1,796,000 |
| 1975 | 965,000 |
| 1976 | 1,519,000 |
| 1977 | 1,212,000 |
| 1978 | 1,006,000 |
| 1979 | 1,021,000 |
| 1980 | 795,000 |
| 1981 | 728,900 |
| 1982 | 655,800 |
| 1983 | 909,400 |
| 1984 | 376,000 |
| 1985 | 323,900 |
| 1986 | 533,100 |
| 1987 | 174,400 |
| 1988 | 118,300 |
| 1989 | 452,100 |
| 1990 | 184,900 |
| 1991 | 392,000 |
| 1992 | 363,800 |
| 1993 | 181,900 |
| 1994 | 322,200 |
| 1995 | 191,500 |
| 1996 | 272,700 |
| 1997 | 338,600 |
| 1998 | 386,800 |
| 1999 | 72,600 |
| 2000 | 393,700 |
| 2001 | 99,100 |
| 2002 | 45,900 |
| 2003 | 129,200 |
| 2004 | 170,700 |
| 2005 | 99,600 |
| 2006 | 70,100 |
| 2007 | 189,200 |
| 2008 | 72,200 |
| 2009 | 12,500 |
| 2010 | 44,500 |
| 2011 | 112,500 |
| 2012 | 148,100 |
| 2013 | 54,500 |
| 2014 | 34,300 |
| 2015 | 47,300 |
| 2016 | 99,400 |
| 2017 | 25,300 |
| 2018 | 485,200 |
| 2019 | 425,500 |
| 2020 | 24,000 |
Note: The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not distinguish between strikes and lockouts in its work stoppage data. However, lockouts (which are initiated by management) are rare relative to strikes, so it is reasonable to think of the major work stoppage data as a proxy for data on major strikes. Data are for work stoppages that began in the data year. Data are for public- and private-sector workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Major Work Stoppages in 2020” (news release), February 19, 2021, and related table, “Annual Work Stoppages Involving 1,000 or More Workers, 1947–2020.”