Blue flu

For the Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode, see Blue Flu (Brooklyn Nine-Nine).

A blue flu is a type of strike action undertaken by police officers in which a large number simultaneously use sick leave.[1] A blue flu is a preferred strike action by police in some parts of the United States where police strikes are prohibited by law.[1][2][3][4] At times, the matter goes to court,[5] such as when officers need to undergo medical examination to prove genuine illness.[6] A 2019 opinion piece in The New York Times contrasted blue flu with a strike, calling it "a quiet form of protest, with no stated principles or claim for public attention or sympathy."[7] Unlike most strikes, blue flu tends to be focused and of short duration.[6][8][9]

  1. ^ a b Spears, Richard (2008). McGraw-Hill's Essential American Slang. McGraw-Hill. p. 235. ISBN 978-0071589345.
  2. ^ Cox, Steven (2013). Introduction to Policing. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-1483321899.
  3. ^ "blue flu". Legal Information Institute. Cornell University. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  4. ^ Rampell, Catherine (January 8, 2015). "NYPD should go ahead and strike". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  5. ^ "Injunction ends a police strike". The New York Times. January 28, 1971.
  6. ^ a b Jeremy W. Peters (June 26, 2002). "Michigan: Preventing 'Blue Flu'". The New York Times. planning to take part in a 'sick-out' on Wednesday
  7. ^ Barbara Ehrenreich; Gary Stevenson (January 14, 2019). "Opinion: It's Time for T.S.A. Workers to Strike". The New York Times.
  8. ^ George Vecsey (May 7, 2010). "Walking Tentatively in Protesters' Shoes". The New York Times. mysterious ailment that strikes police officers suddenly, overnight, during times of labor disagreements, causing them to miss a shift.
  9. ^ "Around the nation: Safety Officers End Columbus Job Action". The New York Times. UPI. February 25, 1983. returning to their jobs after two days of the blue flu.