°Labour union strength and industrial conflicts
































Degree of organisation in Labour Unions, in %









FR DE* SE CH UK US ES


1970 21.7 32 51.3 28.9 44.8 23.5



1980 18.3 34.9 69.4 31.1 50.7 19.5 12.9


1990 10.1 31.2 72.5 24.3 39.3 15.5 12.5


1991 9.9 36 75.4 22.7 38.5 15.5 14.7


1992 9.9 33.9 78.4 23 37.2 15.1 16.5


1993 9.6 31.8 80.7 22.9 36.1 15.1 18


1994 9.2 31.4 80.3 23.3 34.2 14.9 17.6


1995 9 29.2 80.4 22.8 32.6 14.3 16.3


1996 8.3 27.8 80.4 22.9 31.7 14 16.1


1997 8.2 27 79.5 22.6 30.6 13.6 15.7


1998 8 25.9 78 21.7 31.1 13.4 16.4


1999 8.1 25.6 76.3 21 29.8 13.4 16.2


2000 8.2 25 75 19.4 29.7 12.8 16.1


2001 8.1 23.5 74.5 17.8 29.3 12.8 16.1


2002 8.3 23.2 74.8
29.2 12.6 16.2


2003 8.3 22.6 74.1
29.3 12.4 16.3













DE*: before 1991 only West Germany






















































Number of strike days per 1000 workers






Number of strike days per 1000 workers (Switzerland)

CH DE* FR ES SE UK US
Number Sliding Mean
1960 0.33
93.33
3.33 156.67 253.33
0.44 0.33
1961 7.15
145.00
5.00 135.00 245.00
0.00 7.15
1962 6.07 30.00 140.00
6.00 126.00 256.00
0.55 6.07
1963 6.00 22.50 140.00
4.00 124.00 262.00
27.63 6.00
1964 6.00 18.00 138.00
22.00 118.00 282.00
1.75 6.00
1965 6.02 16.00 158.00
22.00 94.00 336.00
0.06 6.02
1966 0.64 2.00 98.00
20.00 116.00 414.00
0.02 0.64
1967 0.30 4.00 96.00
24.00 152.00 458.00
0.65 0.30
1968 0.46 4.00 102.00
32.00 216.00 554.00
0.71 0.46
1969 0.92 38.00 120.32
59.53 306.00 598.00
0.07 0.92
1970 0.92 36.00 116.31
60.09 474.00 552.00
0.84 0.92
1971 0.77 40.00 153.32 67.01 60.70 494.00 492.00
2.34 0.77
1972 0.93 46.00 162.97 84.75 57.60 554.00 461.30
0.62 0.93
1973 0.88 57.50 183.53 97.18 67.60 515.99 345.75
0.00 0.88
1974 1.70 20.18 188.22 287.91 23.28 434.43 289.74
0.85 1.70
1975 1.89 20.41 186.34 548.52 26.92 326.00 275.95
0.57 1.89
1976 2.23 56.54 169.74 722.31 28.08 345.20 263.45
6.48 2.23
1977 2.21 51.13 171.79 1012.34 26.52 463.34 231.46
1.53 2.21
1978 2.46 41.86 150.73 1089.86 215.95 509.83 232.99
1.73 2.46
1979 1.17 38.15 117.55 977.15 224.39 518.44 212.68
0.75 1.17
1980 0.89 38.08 106.04 757.33 220.27 481.31 184.68
1.81 0.89
1981 0.82 5.48 102.38 574.46 220.19 437.89 169.81
0.01 0.82
1982 0.71 44.04 90.35 375.20 220.27 429.68 144.69
0.17 0.71
1983 0.39 43.34 86.28 328.88 35.63 387.39 115.93
1.36 0.39
1984 0.39 43.11 90.97 279.00 57.03 367.97 103.89
0.20 0.39
1985 0.36 43.25 84.59 229.73 57.61 351.80 93.63
0.20 0.36
1986 0.13 43.24 85.50 419.49 91.57 348.59 66.62
0.02 0.13
1987 0.11 1.74 92.95 361.26 108.24 155.59 78.60
0.00 0.11
1988 0.28 3.96 92.85 342.22 119.11 117.41 75.37
0.24 0.28
1989 0.28 4.58 82.41 372.28 89.03 107.57 61.51
0.07 0.28
1990 0.31 12.70 72.63 470.17 89.62 83.40 60.29
1.07 0.31
1991 0.26 12.85 64.80 321.80 62.77 60.79 59.29
0.01 0.26
1992 1.00 13.40 43.69 408.04 47.12 32.40 39.28
0.17 1.00
1993 0.80 12.40 90.47 390.69 45.84 22.01 38.55
0.00 0.80
1994 1.16 12.16 93.21 343.28 48.08 27.22 31.53
3.73 1.16
1995 1.15 4.12 92.50 272.02 48.06 25.12 31.74
0.09 1.15
1996 2.39 3.75 93.57 241.04 39.36 21.35 32.90
1.84 2.39
1997 1.77 2.94 96.68 115.16 40.91 20.80 27.73
0.11 1.77
1998 1.99 1.52 59.01 137.62 8.54 21.20 48.69
6.16 1.99
1999 2.59 1.10 63.06 136.90 5.89 14.20 49.62
0.66 2.59
2000 3.59 2.56 66.05 168.86 4.68 22.40 43.65
1.16 3.59
2001 2.65 3.42 93.72 159.60 34.95 24.00 41.79
4.84 2.65
2002 4.39 3.22 88.95 188.90 31.69 28.80 40.26
5.14 4.39
2003 4.22 3.26 83.90 152.27 31.71 26.00 11.96
1.47 4.22
2004 3.62 5.40 86.31 137.85 31.25 27.50 14.02
9.31 3.62
2005 3.24 4.52 100.54 97.96 39.02 19.67 16.31
0.33 3.24
2006 3.83 4.43
115.34 1.43
11.89
1.83 3.83











DE*: before 1993 only West Germany