4 Employer Tips For Preventing a Potential Work Stoppage

Work stoppages and strikes have generally trended down since highs in the mid-20th century. In 1974, for example, a staggering 1,796,000 workers were involved in major work stoppages. Fast forward to relatively recent history in 2009, and the annual total had dropped to just 12,500. 

Unfortunately, as we enter 2024, the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that things are trending back up. There were 120,600 workers involved in large-scale work stoppages in 2022, a nearly 50% increase from the 80,700 in 2021. It would not be surprising for the newest numbers (to be released in February 2024) to show another increase in the totaled-up 2023 data. Hollywood writers and actors, autoworkers, Starbucks baristas, hotel workers, and Amazon employees have all had a busy year of walkouts, strikes, and picket lines.

It will take a concerted effort from employers to ensure the economy has a smoother ride in 2024. Preventing a work stoppage in this environment of heightened worker-employer tensions is of paramount importance.

Work Stoppages Have Huge Costs For Employers (and the U.S. Economy)

Strikes are expensive — and exhausting. The United Auto Workers strike cost the U.S. economy over $9 billion before it was resolved.  Employers who take the time to identify effective methods for heading off work stoppages will not only save money but can also improve employee and labor relations in the long run.

This might mean establishing more worker-friendly internal policies, improving mediation for complaints, making stronger efforts at employee engagement, and more. Let’s take a closer look at four ways to potentially prevent a work stoppage in the making.

How to Prevent a Work Stoppage

1. Be Present

The most effective strategy just might be the simplest… Have a walk around. Walk the floor, get to know your employees, and experience the day-to-day in the same way that they do. By being present in the front-line work environment, you can get to know the little things that impact workers on a daily basis. Seemingly small operational details — a clean bathroom, a stocked vending machine, a well-lit parking area — can have a huge impact on employee morale and become a major source of complaints (if neglected). 

Many of the most successful union-organizing movements have been driven by the idea that management doesn’t listen. Change the narrative by listening, seeing it for yourself, and taking action to remedy concerns or follow up on suggestions. Active and engaged leadership can go a long way toward preventing the kind of discontentment that leads to work stoppages or strikes.

2. Give “Quality of Life” Policies a Try

There are a lot of simple things that an employer can do to improve the quality of life for workers at every level. Put a routine in place to publicly celebrate and recognize employee achievements. Consider offering (and vocally promoting) worker-friendly benefits such as paid parental leave. 

Flexibility has been a major talking point in the business sphere since the early 2020s. If you can afford to be adaptable and tolerant with workers in the face of unexpected crises or major life events, your company is likely to be perceived as forward-thinking and modern. “Flextime” or alternative schedules, remote or hybrid work policies, job-sharing opportunities, compressed workweeks, and less rigid PTO structures can all be examples of workplace flexibility that keeps today’s employees happy and productive. Research shows that flexible work drives employee engagement — a crucial element of preventing a strike.

3. Trade a “No-Lockout” Clause For a “No-Strike” Clause

If you’re a union shop, or there is a possibility that your workers will soon unionize, it’s important to plan ahead for the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Offer up a “no-lockout” clause in exchange for a “no-strike” clause. If a promise not to lock out employees can persuade the union to prohibit union-called strikes and union member participation in strikes, your CBA will become your first line of defense against a work stoppage. Remember that the no-strike clause will expire with the CBA, so it’s important to reach an agreement on a new CBA before the old contract expires.

4. Keep Bargaining and Grievance Processes Organized

Ensure basic labor relations etiquette is in effect. Communicate early. Meet often. Come prepared. Show good faith. If everyone is on the same page, details are transparent, and all of your compliance i’s and t’s are neatly dotted, hard work can pay off. Effective negotiations helped the UPS and Teamsters unions, for example, to reach a deal that avoided a UPS work stoppage in July 2023.

Everything’s easier with a purpose-built labor relations system as your single source of truth. LaborSoft provides your team with the employee relations analytics, case management workflows, and our central documentation repository it needs to streamline case management and mitigate the risk of union disputes, costly lawsuits, and work stoppages from poorly handled or drawn-out grievances. 

Connect with our team for a customized demonstration and to learn how LaborSoft can help you build a collaborative, safe, and supportive workplace that reduces the likelihood of a strike or walkout.