Report Your Strike Threat
The US government won't report strike threats so we need your help to record and report them and understand when they succeed.
While the number of strikes is falling and is at an historical low, strike related activity is on the rise. The most prominent example is the rising number of strike threats. In my preliminary research of strike threats between 2012-2016 I found two startling results. First, about 35% more strike threats were settled than the number of strikes that occured. I also found that more than double the number of workers participated in strike threats than actually went on strike.
Thank you for agreeing to inform us about your strike threat. At the end of the survey is a place for you to add anything else you would like us to know. The survey will take between 5-15 minutes to complete. Please consider including your contact information so we can follow up with you. We will keep all the information confidential unless you give us written or verbal permission to disclose it.
It would be extremely helpful if you would share the link to this survey with other workers, unions, organizers, and activists you know engaged in strike related activity to share their information with us. We would also appreciate any news about a strike threat even if you don’t know anyone involved.
I really appreciate your help. Please contact me if you have any questions.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) refuses to report the number of strike threats issued and likely vastly under-estimates the number of strikes that occur.
This is because the BLS only measures strikes or lock outs at firms with 1,000 or more workers. Because only .3% of all firms have 500 or more workers even the number of strikes is underreported.
Since the BLS has formally refused my written request to collect and report on the number of strike threats in the US I have launched a research project to collect and annually report the number of strike threats. This data will be crucial for helping us understand which strike threats are credible and succeed and which do not.
Your information will remain confidential and be reported without any specific details about you, your specific local, and other identifying features unless you provide prior written permission.
Please help this project collect the most comprehensive information by forwarding the link to this survey to anyone you know who is engaged in contract negotiations, re-openers, informational picketing or any other strike related activity.
Any worker, rank and file union member, or union staff or officer involved in strike related activity is invited to complete the survey.