Worker Strikes Recover To Pre-Recession Levels In 2011, But Remain Modest

As the job market improves, some workers are regaining the courage to go on strike.

After dipping to record lows following the financial crisis, the number of worker strikes recovered in 2011 to pre-recession levels, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Wednesday. With the number of unemployed people vying for work starting to fall, workers might just be regaining some of the bargaining power lost during the recession.

"Maybe workers are a little less intimidated by the economy, and they feel more confident about going on a strike," said Gary Burtless, labor economist at the Brookings Institution.

In 2011, the United States had 19 strikes involving 1,000 or more workers -- a rise of more than 65 percent from 2010's tally of 11 strikes. In 2009, the United States had just five strikes -- a record low since the government started keeping track of this at the end of World War II. From 2002 to 2007 the number of strikes ranged from 14 to 22.

At the same time, the number of workdays idle (a calculation of a strike's length in days multiplied by the number of participants) has not reached pre-recession levels. Employers in 2011 logged 1.02 million workdays idle, down from an annual average of 2.3 million workdays idle from 2002 to 2007.

And it's unclear if these demonstrations are carrying the power of years before. About 45,000 Verizon workers across the East Coast in August took part in the largest strike of the year, resulting in 450,000 workdays idle. But they returned to work with no deal.

Last year's longest strike still has not ended: Some 1,300 workers at the American Crystal Sugar Co. facilities in Minnesota, Iowa and North Dakota been on strike since August. The company wants the freedom to use subcontractors at its factories, which the union does not accept, saying that would threaten workers' job security, according to Minnesota Public Radio.

And this wave of worker activism in 2011 is a far cry from the level of participation of decades before. From 1947 to 1979, more than 200 strikes took place every year except one. Since 1982, the number of strikes annually has been in the double or single digits.

Union membership has been declining to new lows for more than a decade. Just 11.8 percent of U.S. workers were members of unions in 2011.

The steep decline in unions' leverage since the 1970s correlates with increasing income inequality, Burtless said. During the postwar economic expansion of the late-1940s to the 1970s, "we had lots of strikes," he said. "We also had more equal income gains and wage gains."

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Comments

[Under Fed yet Fed Up]

10:31 PM on 02/09/2012

Somehow the terms "workdays idle" and "unions" just seem to go together.

[nothingchanges]

10:46 AM on 02/09/2012

This recession has been "very good" for Big Business. Profits are up, wages are stagnant, what more could they want?

To totally break all the unions.

They they will have total control of our economy.

They already bought our politicians.

Power Corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Money IS power and 1% of our people now control more of that then the bottom 95% combined.

IMPO..........When only 1% enjoy the fruits of all of our labors, this country cannot prosper.

"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration." -Abraham Lincoln-

Great man, that Mr. Lincoln, we could learn a lot from him still.

[massivesnow]

10:07 AM on 02/09/2012

Who ever smeared the union movement is a moot point now because it stuck. Until unemployment gets to where employees can quit if things get bad and go onto greener pastures it sucks being an employee.

In the mean time the only hope are new laws that are pro employee. That ain't happening. Not saying I like this situation, but that's the way I see it. It's almost as if management likes it the way it is now and doesn't want the available labor pool to shrink because that would force them to spend more to keep employees happy. Now it's if you don't like it hit the road.

[glockman]

09:25 AM on 02/09/2012

It's no secret that the republican party, and to some extent, the democratic party, have been waging war against unionism for nearly five decades.

When laws are passed that make it difficult to unionize, or apply punishment for striking workers, the inevitable result is a weakening of the unions.

And a weakening of unionism equals a weakening of our ability to manufacture, produce wealth, and provide a steady and growing economy.

No, righties, unionism did not chase off manufacturing because of high wages and benefits packages. Those are myths sold to you by the ruling class. Those myths simply put, are not reality.

[ur2nutty4me]

09:44 PM on 02/09/2012

Even as a flaming liberal I know some unions went to far. Are side does not need to lie or exaggerated at this point to make a case. But you are right even if minimum wage was halved for the last 25 years the 1% still would have fought and received their free trade agreements and shipped the jobs over sea's for .50 cent a day labor. What did expedite this issue is the rampant abuse of the health care industry on our society that must just not be stopped but totally turned around in a full retreat. Only sick perverted masochists can justify this sick inefficient massively profitable industry that millions and millions have little to no access to at all or when it's to late. Health industry employees need to be paid well but the industry should be non profit. And what good are knew drugs and therapy's when only the top 25% has access. This is a very sick world...........

[mochaview]

08:48 AM on 02/09/2012

Protesting injustice feels good, is a good stress reliever and good for health because you're venting your outrage however, the ears of the 1%/decision makers have tuned this out. So, the only way to make them listen is boycotting them by making them lose profit which is the only way they will ever hear you. If you can't boycott them at least put a huge dent in their business. To them, loss of money is the most insulting thing you can do to them.

Human beings of the world who work for a living must understand that the ones who own these corporations are sociopaths and rather enjoy your suffering. They get a kick out of it. So, the best way is to have the balls to NOT USE THEIR PRODUCTS.

Unfortunately, too many of my fellow Americans would rather riot over toys or bargains on Black Friday or riot over those ugly sneakers than do this. It's time for the worldwide public to know who makes the decisions and exactly what their mindset it. I've spent too much time working for these people (when I had a job that is) and I can say it's nauseating to see it up close. People need to know things like the founder of IKEA calls all Americans the n-word regardless of color, etc. Things like that.

[VPerry24]

05:29 AM on 02/09/2012

People are scared to lose their jobs! People will also willingly take on lower pay, lose the benefits
and attack each other for a measly job, human nature!

[Elyriaohio]

05:26 AM on 02/09/2012

Health-care will remain an anchor on manufacturing prosperity. The Insurance lobby has won again. Business as usual. Sad.

[Roelvdwegen]

02:22 AM on 02/09/2012

A healthy economy is only possible when you have a healthy middle class.

[Under Fed yet Fed Up]

10:34 PM on 02/09/2012

It seem sthat business profits are doing just fine while the middle class is not. That seems to belie your claim.

[Roelvdwegen]

01:34 AM on 02/10/2012

Simple logic. Poor people cant buy Ipads

[FDR-FAN]

10:53 PM on 02/08/2012

Unions are actually a great example of Capitalism. The definition of Capitalism is to capitalize on someone else's need for something. The product of workers are their skills and labor. They Capitalize on management's and owner's need for their product. The rich and powerful just don't like it when their own game is played against them!

[DismayedRepub]

01:45 AM on 02/09/2012

And the owners buy the tooling and raw materials that the labor uses to produce.

[frankieshoes1]

02:10 AM on 02/09/2012

And yet those tools and raw materials produce nothing themselves.

[sonoffestus]

10:20 PM on 02/08/2012

Workers are scared...................Corporations have won.

[jim dorino]

10:09 PM on 02/08/2012

I feel there's some kind of defect in a certain percentage of the population's thought process.Can someone explain this to me? I'm a union employee for Verizon which is a healthy company. I have a pension, healthcare and 401k plan. There are many people out there in the workforce that unfortunately do not have these things. Now I know that if you ask any worker who does not have these things if they'd like to have them, 100% of these people would say they'd love to have them --- and yet there is a percentage of these same people that are of the opinion that because they DON'T have them that you should not have them either! "I don't have a pension, why should you?" "I have to pay for my medical benefits, why shouldn't you?" These people will even defend the fact that the top 5 execs at Verizon have sucked out 260 million in compensation over the last 4 years while trying to take away everything they can from the workers that make the company successful. If I didn't have a pension or healthcare plan I would want to see more people getting them in the hope that it might become more common. These people are helping the 1% kill the middle class and don't even realize it! When their children have to get a minimum wage, no benefit job at Walmart or go to India to get work then maybe they'll realize they were used.

[VPerry24]

05:29 AM on 02/09/2012

That is exactly what I said above, people will attack each other, agree to anything just to keep their job, human nature!

[April22]

10:08 PM on 02/08/2012

Years of brainwashing against unions has paided off for those who have the most to profit from not having unions and that's certainly not the worker!

Major retail stores give anti-union propaganda speeches at their orientations.

Gee, can't image who makes out from that speech, can you?!

[Kai-HK]

10:04 PM on 02/08/2012

Workers strike more and I hope that companies continue to break the strikes by these ungrateful workers.

If these workers are convinced they are worth more, let them go elsewhere and prove it by getting more!

Kai

[Golfer59]

09:14 PM on 02/08/2012

That's because most people working don't belong to a Union!!!

[Ashok Hegde]

08:51 PM on 02/08/2012

Unless you offer skilled labor which is hard to replace, what use is a strike. More often than not, the firm may prefer hiring others.