6 Strikes That Cost Companies Millions

Boeing, 2008:
Cost:  $2 billion ($2.1 billion today)

Machinists for Boeing called a strike of 27,000 workers in September 2008 in a bid to win job protections and to make sure they maintained their health care benefits. It took 52 days and workers lost an average of $7,000 in base pay, according to The New York Times, while the company lost $100 million a day in deferred revenue and delays to the 787 jumbo jet. In the end, the union was able to win assurances against factory layoffs as well as keep health benefits.

California Supermarkets, 2003:
Cost:  $2 billion ($3.2 billion today)

Most people take for granted how easy it is to get food of almost any kind these days. But in 2003, Californians were faced with a strike by workers at three major chains—Albertson's, Vons and Ralph's—that hit 850 stores. The stores remained open, but customers were forced to cross picket lines. The 70,000 workers of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union were seeking to halt planned wage cuts and a shifting of a billion dollars in health care costs to workers.

The strike lasted 141 days, during which many customers took their business to other stores. The companies lost a collective $2 billion. In the end, the companies agreed to pay the full health benefits for two years. In the third year, employees would pay $5 a week. New hires would be paid less under a new wage tier.

U.S. Postal Service, 1970:
Cost:  Untold amount to businesses

When postal workers went on strike in March 1970, the world was radically different. Businesses and residences relied on the mail service to pay bills, receive payments and correspond with clients, vendors, friends and relatives. There was no email, no mobile phones and the cost of long-distance telephone calls made them a luxury for many. So, when 200,000 postal workers walked off the job to protest low wages (the top pay was $8,400, which translates to $49,000 today), high benefit costs (workers paid half their health insurance premiums) and poor working conditions, it hurt the economy. Workers also were infuriated by a 4% raise from Congress, which gave itself a 41% pay bump.

President Richard Nixon called out the Reserves to deliver the mail. The move was a flop and after two weeks an agreement was reached with Congress to reorganize the Postal Service and give workers their overdue raise. The bill was signed into law by Nixon in August. It's hard to imagine Congress moving that quickly these days.

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