Work stoppage definition

A work stoppage refers to the temporary cessation of work as a form of protest and can be initiated by either employees or company management.

When initiated by employees, work stoppages refer to a single employee or group of employees ceasing work purposefully as a means of protest. There are various types of work stoppage, the most common of which is strike action organised by unions, which refers to a mass refusal to work.

From an employer’s side, work stoppages commonly take the form of lockouts, which is a temporary denial of employment during a labor dispute with the aim of making it financially impossible for employees to protest.