Number of strikes and lockouts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Number of strikes and lockouts was 257 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of strikes and lockouts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 257 for number of strikes and lockouts in 2024.
The figure is down 82.9% on the previous year and up 65.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of strikes and lockouts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 2,228 in 1971 and was at its lowest, 79, in 2017.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 10th out of 99 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of strikes and lockouts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2,228 | — |
| 1993 | 211 | -90.5% |
| 1994 | 205 | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 235 | +14.6% |
| 1996 | 244 | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 216 | -11.5% |
| 1998 | 166 | -23.1% |
| 1999 | 205 | +23.5% |
| 2000 | 226 | +10.2% |
| 2001 | 207 | -8.4% |
| 2002 | 162 | -21.7% |
| 2003 | 138 | -14.8% |
| 2004 | 135 | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 116 | -14.1% |
| 2006 | 158 | +36.2% |
| 2007 | 152 | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 144 | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 98 | -31.9% |
| 2010 | 92 | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 149 | +62.0% |
| 2012 | 131 | -12.1% |
| 2013 | 114 | -13.0% |
| 2014 | 155 | +36.0% |
| 2015 | 106 | -31.6% |
| 2016 | 101 | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 79 | -21.8% |
| 2018 | 81 | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 96 | +18.5% |
| 2022 | 750 | +681.2% |
| 2023 | 1,505 | +100.7% |
| 2024 | 257 | -82.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,228 | 2,228 | 2,228 | 1 |
| 1990s | 211.71 | 166 | 244 | 7 |
| 2000s | 153.6 | 98 | 226 | 10 |
| 2010s | 110.4 | 79 | 155 | 10 |
| 2020s | 837.33 | 257 | 1,505 | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More work & labour data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 22,956 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 35,770 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.93 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.07 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 111,361 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,223 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 57.91 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.47 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.4352 % change on previous year (2027)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of strikes and lockouts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Number of strikes and lockouts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 257 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2,228 in 1971.
- What is the lowest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 79 in 2017.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for number of strikes and lockouts?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 10th out of 99 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of strikes and lockouts rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 — 31 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.