Number of strikes and lockouts in United States
United States: Number of strikes and lockouts was 31 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of strikes and lockouts in United States, 1974–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of strikes and lockouts in United States is 31, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.4% on the previous year and up 181.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of strikes and lockouts in United States peaked at 425 in 1974 and was at its lowest, 5, in 2009.
That places United States 32nd out of 99 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of strikes and lockouts in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 425 | — |
| 1975 | 235 | -44.7% |
| 1976 | 231 | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 298 | +29.0% |
| 1978 | 219 | -26.5% |
| 1979 | 235 | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 187 | -20.4% |
| 1981 | 145 | -22.5% |
| 1982 | 96 | -33.8% |
| 1983 | 81 | -15.6% |
| 1984 | 62 | -23.5% |
| 1990 | 44 | -29.0% |
| 1991 | 40 | -9.1% |
| 1992 | 35 | -12.5% |
| 1993 | 35 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 45 | +28.6% |
| 1995 | 31 | -31.1% |
| 1996 | 37 | +19.4% |
| 1997 | 29 | -21.6% |
| 1998 | 34 | +17.2% |
| 1999 | 17 | -50.0% |
| 2000 | 39 | +129.4% |
| 2001 | 29 | -25.6% |
| 2002 | 19 | -34.5% |
| 2003 | 14 | -26.3% |
| 2004 | 17 | +21.4% |
| 2005 | 22 | +29.4% |
| 2006 | 23 | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 23 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 16 | -30.4% |
| 2009 | 5 | -68.8% |
| 2010 | 11 | +120.0% |
| 2011 | 19 | +72.7% |
| 2012 | 19 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 15 | -21.1% |
| 2014 | 11 | -26.7% |
| 2015 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 15 | +25.0% |
| 2017 | 7 | -53.3% |
| 2018 | 20 | +185.7% |
| 2019 | 25 | +25.0% |
| 2021 | 16 | -36.0% |
| 2022 | 24 | +50.0% |
| 2023 | 35 | +45.8% |
| 2024 | 31 | -11.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 31 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8, 3.9× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of strikes and lockouts in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +185.7% | 7 | 20 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 273.83 | 219 | 425 | 6 |
| 1980s | 114.2 | 62 | 187 | 5 |
| 1990s | 34.7 | 17 | 45 | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.7 | 5 | 39 | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.4 | 7 | 25 | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.5 | 16 | 35 | 4 |
Countries ranked near United States
More work & labour data for United States
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 113,208 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 61.24 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 178,849 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.4 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.05 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 159,991 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 141,322 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 58.55 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.27 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.3372 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of strikes and lockouts in United States?
- Number of strikes and lockouts in United States was 31 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 425 in 1974.
- What is the lowest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 5 in 2009.
- How does United States rank for number of strikes and lockouts?
- United States ranks 32nd out of 99 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of strikes and lockouts rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 181.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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 — 45 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.