Q1 Data: Strikes Are Down, Protests Are Up Year-Over-Year
Although it is too soon to tell, the data suggests fewer strikes in 2024.
By Peter List, Editor | April 8, 2024
In the first quarter of 2024, labor strikes are down more than 20 percent from the same last year, while the number of labor protests has risen significantly—more than 60 percent, according to data from Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker.
From January 1, 2023, through April 1, 2023, 84 strikes across the nation were recorded on the university’s database. Whereas, during the same period in 2024, the number of strikes was 65—a year-over-year decrease of 22.6 percent.
The number of labor protests recorded in 2024 has, so far, soared 63.4 percent from the same period in 2023—157 protests from January 1st through April 1st, compared to last year’s 93 protests during the same period.
Even as 2023 began, last year was widely predicted to be ‘The Year of the Strike’ given the amount of large contracts that expired last year.
While there is no single explanation for the decrease in strikes during 2024’s first quarter, it is too early to tell if 2024 overall will be a repeat of 2023, as there are several major contracts expiring throughout the year.