Skip to main content
job action

job action

1 5.7
Temporary work protest by workers to demand better pay or conditions
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : acción laboral
  • The spreading job actions by Wal-Mart workers around the country, while still involving modest numbers, come across as a kind of catharsis.
  • an illegal job action
  • job action this week

Examples

  • Nonetheless, we know that more than once NWPA refrained from action harmful to Medalia or its successors, one example being not taking job action when PMG management insisted on an open shop.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Change will most likely require the type of job action we haven't seen in decades.

    Blog text (27)
  • We are a long way from any kind of strike, including a one-day job action, in the PSC.

    Blog text (27)
  • This power, along with workers' individual job actions, forced fundamental changes in the pesticide program, demonstrating the importance of integrating labor into the study of environmental change in agricultural capitalism.

    Academic text (2002)
  • They built on this experience to develop the tactic of undertaking "quickie" job actions, leaving valuable, highly perishable materials to waste and stopping the "endless chain" of packinghouse work until grievances found resolution.

    Academic text (2000)
  • D'Accholi, A.L. (1984). Some potential effects of RIF-related job actions on public school teachers. Dissertation Abstracts International, 45, 997A. (University Microfilm No. 8414695).

    Academic text (1993)
  • The workers decided to commence a job action to demand better safety conditions in the factory.

  • After negotiations broke down, the union announced a job action to show their discontent with management's offer.

  • The recent job action by the nurses aimed to secure improved staffing levels in the hospital.

Synonyms

direct action
vsjob action
  • Jargon
10 5.5

A protest where people act directly, for example by blocking a road or factory, to reach their goals

is specific to worker protests, while this term covers many groups beyond labor
work stoppage
vsjob action
9 4.2

A time when workers stop working to protest about pay or conditions

includes other protest methods that may not stop work entirely
sit-down strike
vsjob action
3 4.4

Workers stay at their workplace and refuse to work until demands are met

is broader and includes non-occupying protests like work slowing or calling in sick
sickout
vsjob action
  • Literature
2 7.4

Many workers stay home as an organized protest to pressure their boss

is one temporary protest method among many different worker protest actions
sit-down
vsjob action
  • Archaic
2 6.4

Workers who stay in their workplace and refuse to leave until the employer meets their demands

is broader and includes actions that do not involve occupying or refusing to leave
wildcat strike
vsjob action
1 7.8

A strike by workers not approved by their union

covers both authorized and unauthorized worker protests, not only unofficial stoppages
work-in
vsjob action
  • Archaic
1 7.7

Workers who stay at their workplace and keep working to protest closure or job cuts

usually contrasts by allowing work to continue rather than stopping it
go-slow
vsjob action
  • UK
1 7.4

A protest where workers work slowly on purpose to pressure their employer

covers protest acts that may involve refusing work rather than only slowing
sick-out
vsjob action
  • Literature
8.2

A group of workers who call in sick to protest and ask for change

is broader and includes protest acts other than calling in sick
wildcatting
vsjob action
  • Jargon
9.3

A strike by workers that starts without union approval

is broader and can include both authorized and union-approved protest methods
sympathy strike
vsjob action
  • Jargon
7.0

Workers stop work to support other workers on strike

is not limited to support actions and covers protests about workers own grievances
compliance strike
vsjob action
  • Jargon
8.0

A stoppage of work by workers to make managers follow safety and other workplace rules

is broader and includes protests for many reasons, not only rule compliance

Antonyms

443 2.5

Working together with other people to reach a common goal

361 1.0

A situation in which people have the same opinion or give their approval

How Disruptive

to strike
133 3.2
job action
  • Specialized
1 5.7
protest
578 2.5
to petition
  • Formal
61 3.5

Surface Forms

job action singular
job actions plural

Morphology

job + action

The constituents 'job' (work, position) and 'action' (an act or measure) transparently signal an act related to work, so a learner could guess it refers to some workplace activity. However, the conventional labour-relations sense—specifically a temporary protest or collective measure short of a full strike—is institutional and not fully predictable from the parts without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase job action comes from the simple idea of workers doing an action at their job, such as working slowly, stopping certain tasks, or refusing extra duties to show they are unhappy. That's why job action now means 'a temporary protest by workers at work', often short of a full strike.