Strike Contingency Planning: Maintaining Operations During Work Stoppages

Strikes represent most serious labor relations crisis requiring comprehensive contingency planning maintaining business continuity during work stoppages. Research shows average strike duration is 30-45 days though recent major strikes including 2023 United Auto Workers strike lasting 46 days, 2019 General Motors strike lasting 40 days, and periodic strikes in manufacturing, healthcare, and education demonstrate extended work stoppages remain reality despite declining overall strike frequency. Strike costs are substantial—employers lose revenue from reduced production averaging 60-80% of normal capacity even with replacement workers, incur expenses for temporary workers and overtime for non-striking employees, face customer relationship damage from service disruptions, and experience long-term competitive harm from market share losses. Unions face costs including lost wages for striking members, depletion of strike funds paying benefits, membership dissatisfaction with strike hardships, and potential permanent replacement of strikers under legal provisions allowing employers to hire permanent replacements for economic strikes though not for unfair labor practice strikes.