Hollywood studios, the Massive Three automakers and Starbucks had been simply among the employers impacted by a outstanding surge in labor strikes referred to as by unions in 2023. Almost 350 strikes occurred in 2023 – essentially the most in 20 years.

In line with knowledge launched by Bloomberg Legislation,[1] 345 strikes had been referred to as in 2023, together with two employer-initiated lockouts, for a complete of 347 work stoppages impacting greater than a half-million employees. The final time there have been that many strikes in a yr was 2003, although neither yr topped strike exercise between 1990 and 1994, when there have been greater than 500 strikes every year.

Another attention-grabbing factors from Bloomberg Legislation’s report.

• Though most strikes occurred throughout negotiations for a “successor” collective bargaining settlement – that means a brand new contract to switch an expiring settlement – roughly 120 work stoppages in 2023 occurred in help of a union’s first labor contract, with one other roughly 30 strikes going down through the time period of an present labor contract. This represents a considerable shift from just some years in the past, when almost all strikes occurred solely in help of successor contract negotiations, suggesting that unions have grow to be extra impatient and are keen to strike in help of calls for even throughout first-time contract negotiations.

• Two-thirds of all strikes referred to as in 2023 ended inside seven days, and fewer than 5% of strikes lasted greater than 60 days, reflecting a development over the previous few years in the direction of quick period strikes. In distinction, previous to 2020, roughly half of all strikes lasted longer than seven days.

• Strike exercise historically has been directed on the manufacturing sector greater than different industries. That was not the case in 2023. Final yr, solely 54 strikes had been directed at producer employers, persevering with a development over the previous 20 years of a declining variety of strikes towards producers. Nearly all of strikes in 2023 concerned both service supplier employers (126 strikes) or retail employers (105 strikes). However, like nearly all of all strike exercise, most of these service supplier and retail strikes had been short-lived.

• Strikes occurred in most elements of the nation, however 12 states, largely within the Rocky Mountain and Nice Plains areas, had no strike exercise in any respect. Unsurprisingly, these states with a heavy focus of union-represented staff had essentially the most strike exercise. California skilled the best variety of strikes (71), adopted by New York (48) and Illinois (27). However once more, even in these states, most strikes had been very transient (47 of California’s 71 strikes led to seven days or much less; the identical for 39 of New York’s 48 strikes).

• The Service Workers Worldwide Union (SEIU) referred to as essentially the most strikes in 2023 – 99 out of 345 strikes – adopted by the Teamsters and two lecturers’ unions. However, as soon as once more, greater than 80% of those strikes resulted in work stoppages of per week or much less.

So, can we count on this development of extra frequent however shorter period strikes to proceed in 2024? All indicators counsel it’s going to: resurgence of union organizing exercise, elevated public help of unions and an unsure financial and political local weather. Employers with unionized workforces, and notably these with collective bargaining agreements expiring in 2024, might want to plan accordingly.

[1] Union Strike Exercise in 2023: Latest Growth and Historic Views, Bloomberg Legislation, 2024.