work stoppage

noun

: concerted cessation of work by a group of employees usually more spontaneous and less serious than a strike

Examples of work stoppage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the year documented in the filing, the Writers Guild of America went on a 148-day strike beginning in May, while SAG-AFTRA’s members went on their own 118-day work stoppage beginning in July. —Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Mar. 2025

On Thursday, the length of the strike matched a previous 17-day work stoppage in 1979. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025

The bargaining unit at Pushkin Industries, which is unionized with the Writers Guild of America East, threaten a potential work stoppage in a letter delivered to management on Friday. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025

The strikes, the first widespread work stoppage in New York’s prisons since a 16-day walkout by officers in 1979, come as the state correctional system faces close scrutiny stemming from the fatal beating of a 43-year-old inmate by officers in December. —Ed Shanahan, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

work stoppage

noun

: a cessation of work by employees as a job action

Note: Work stoppage is often used to refer to a cessation of work that is less serious and more spontaneous than one referred to as a strike. As used in the Labor Management Relations Act strike refers to “any…concerted stoppage of work by employees…and any concerted slowdown or other concerted interruption of operations by employees.”