sick-out
Coordinated fake illness
A sick-out is a coordinated protest in which workers call in sick simultaneously rather than formally striking.
It allows employees to disrupt operations while technically following workplace rules—since individual sick days are permitted, even when the collective action is obviously organized: The teachers staged a sick-out to protest budget cuts.
The tactic is common where strikes are legally restricted, as with police or air traffic controllers.
Protest by leaving
- job actionOrganized work stoppage
- work stoppageOrganized cessation of labor
- unionJoining into one
- solidarityUnity among allies
grievance · collective action · demonstration · workers · organized · labor dispute · demand · negotiation
Those who fly aircraft
- flight attendantsAirline cabin service workers
- airlineAir transport company
- cancellationsOfficial voidings of arrangements
- delaysPauses before proceeding
crew shortage · grounded · passengers · stranded · controllers · air traffic · FAA · carrier
Not in attendance
- unexcusedLacking official approval
- no-showOne who fails to appear
- leaveSanctioned time away
- workforceAll available workers
staffing · shortage · understaffed · scheduling · coverage · shift · replacement · personnel
Those who instruct students
- policeCivil law enforcement
- firefightersEmergency personnel combating blazes
- nursesMedical care professionals
- sanitationCleanliness for public health
municipal · essential workers · city services · school closure · public safety · first responders · hospital · bus drivers
walkout
Protest by leaving
- job actionOrganized work stoppage
- work stoppageOrganized cessation of labor
- unionJoining into one
solidarity · grievance · collective action · demonstration · workers · organized · labor dispute · demand · negotiation · coordinated
pilots
Those who fly aircraft
- flight attendantsAirline cabin service workers
- airlineAir transport company
- cancellationsOfficial voidings of arrangements
delays · crew shortage · grounded · passengers · stranded · controllers · air traffic · FAA · carrier · hub
absent
Not in attendance
workforce · staffing · shortage · understaffed · scheduling · coverage · shift · replacement · personnel · attendance
teachers
Those who instruct students
- policeCivil law enforcement
- firefightersEmergency personnel combating blazes
- nursesMedical care professionals
sanitation · municipal · essential workers · city services · school closure · public safety · first responders · hospital · bus drivers · postal
- economic protestlabor strike, general strike, rent strike, consumer boycott, picket
- labor actionslabor strike, strike, strike vote, walkout, picket
- labor disputesstrikes, strike, labor strike, walkout, walkouts
- union actionsstrike vote, union election, union vote, picket, walkout
- protestdemonstration, walkout, picket, protest march, sit-in
- labor strikeswalkouts, walkout, picket lines, strike action, coal strike
sick-outwalkout
Protest by leaving
work-to-rule · wildcat strike · strike · picket · lockout
sick-outreporting for duty
perfect attendance · business as usual · labor peace · showing up
sick, out, sicks, sicked, sicking, sickly, sickness, sicken, sickens