USA: New 2019 Data Shows U.S. Workers Participated in Strike Actions at Highest Rate in 30 Years
Employers, especially manufacturers, are facing a new (old) challenge in unionised work forces: strikes. The latest data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) shows U.S. workers are more likely to strike today than at any other time in the last 30 years. This should prompt employers with unionised workforces to review their strike preparedness plans.
Over the last three decades, strikes in the U.S. have decreased, particularly following the 2008 financial crash. In 2017, approximately 25,000 workers participated in a strike. This changed dramatically in 2018 and 2019, when more than 450,000 workers and more than 425,000 workers, respectively, participated in a strike. According to BLS, strike actions in 2019 caused more than 3,200 days’ worth of lost work. The number of strikers and the number of days lost to strikes have hit 30-year highs.
The strong domestic economy and continued global competition, among other factors, have created a labour shortage of qualified workers. Unions may see this as the right time to demand higher wage increases and benefits, especially where it was not possible to make such demands during the Great Recession. Workers also may be more aggressive, seeing the relative ease of finding new employment in many areas. At the same time, manufacturers are pressured by tariffs cutting into their supply chains and profits.
The significant increase in possible strike activity suggests that employers should take any threat of a strike seriously. Labour negotiations frequently can become contentious and the threat of a strike is always present. Employers should be ready with a strike preparedness plan that includes a plan of action and a list of possible solutions. Further, any new round of collective bargaining may mean reassessing the plan. Bottom line: proactive labour relations strategies and diligent preparation are critical to protecting employers’ operations in the event of a strike.
Jackson Lewis attorneys are available to assist employers with a strike preparedness plan and other labour issues.
Jackson Lewis attorneys are available to assist you with these and other workplace issues. For more information, please contact John Sander (Principal) of Jackson Lewis at John.Sander@jacksonlewis.com or visit www.jacksonlewis.com.
For more information please contact Joseph Granato, Communications Manager at L&E Global at joseph.granato@leglobal.org.