Number of strikes and lockouts in Australia
Australia: Number of strikes and lockouts was 194 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of strikes and lockouts in Australia, 1971–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2024, number of strikes and lockouts in Australia stood at 194.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of strikes and lockouts in Australia peaked at 2,404 in 1971 and was at its lowest, 77, in 2020.
That places Australia 13th out of 99 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of strikes and lockouts in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2,404 | — |
| 1972 | 2,298 | -4.4% |
| 1987 | 1,517 | -34.0% |
| 1988 | 1,508 | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 1,402 | -7.0% |
| 1990 | 1,193 | -14.9% |
| 1991 | 1,036 | -13.2% |
| 1992 | 728 | -29.7% |
| 1993 | 610 | -16.2% |
| 1994 | 560 | -8.2% |
| 1995 | 643 | +14.8% |
| 1996 | 543 | -15.6% |
| 1997 | 447 | -17.7% |
| 1998 | 520 | +16.3% |
| 1999 | 731 | +40.6% |
| 2000 | 700 | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 675 | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 767 | +13.6% |
| 2003 | 643 | -16.2% |
| 2004 | 692 | +7.6% |
| 2005 | 472 | -31.8% |
| 2006 | 202 | -57.2% |
| 2007 | 135 | -33.2% |
| 2008 | 177 | +31.1% |
| 2013 | 215 | +21.5% |
| 2015 | 228 | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 259 | +13.6% |
| 2018 | 163 | -37.1% |
| 2019 | 147 | -9.8% |
| 2020 | 77 | -47.6% |
| 2021 | 130 | +68.8% |
| 2022 | 188 | +44.6% |
| 2023 | 198 | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 194 | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,351 | 2,298 | 2,404 | 2 |
| 1980s | 1,476 | 1,402 | 1,517 | 3 |
| 1990s | 701.1 | 447 | 1,193 | 10 |
| 2000s | 495.89 | 135 | 767 | 9 |
| 2010s | 202.4 | 147 | 259 | 5 |
| 2020s | 157.4 | 77 | 198 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of strikes and lockouts in Australia?
- Number of strikes and lockouts in Australia was 194 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2,404 in 1971.
- What is the lowest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 77 in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for number of strikes and lockouts?
- Australia ranks 13th out of 99 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of strikes and lockouts rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Number of strikes and lockouts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
A strike is a temporary work stoppage carried out by one or more groups of workers with a view to enforcing or resisting demands or expressing grievances, or supporting other workers in their demands or grievances. A lockout is a total or partial temporary closure of one or more places of employment, or the hindering of the normal work activities of employees, by one or more employers with a view to enforcing or resisting demands or expressing grievances, or supporting other employers in their demands or grievances. Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.