In 2018, an estimated 485,000 workers took part in 20 large-scale work stoppages of over 1,000 workers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Feb. 8.
That’s more U.S. workers striking than at any time since 1986, and 19 times as many workers as went on strike in 2017.
The largest were by teachers, including 123,000 in North Carolina, 81,000 in Arizona, 63,000 in Colorado, 45,000 in Oklahoma, 35,000 in West Virginia, and 26,000 in Kentucky.
Other notable strikes included 53,000 workers at University of California hospitals, and 5,000 members of Operating Engineers Local 302 in Western Washington.
The longest-running large strike is at Charter Communications in NY/NJ, where 1,800 members of IBEW Local 3 have been out since March 28, 2017.
