sympathetic strike
C1+Formal, Technical (Labour Relations)
Definition
Meaning
A work stoppage by one group of workers to support another group that is directly involved in a labour dispute.
A collective industrial action taken by workers who are not directly in conflict with their employer but who cease work to show solidarity with and apply pressure in favour of another group of striking workers, often to create a broader economic impact.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a secondary, supportive action; the participants' own workplace conditions are not the primary grievance. The key distinction from a general strike is its targeted, supportive nature. Often used interchangeably with 'solidarity strike' in labour discourse.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, the term is common in official industrial relations discourse. In American English, its use is more historical/academic, as such actions are often heavily restricted or prohibited by law under the term 'secondary strike' or 'secondary boycott'.
Connotations
In the UK/EU context, it is a recognised, though often contentious, tactic. In the US context, it typically carries a legalistic, potentially unlawful connotation.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK, Irish, and Commonwealth media/reports. Much lower frequency in contemporary US usage outside historical or legal analysis.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Workers [of X] began a sympathetic strike in support of [strikers at Y].The union voted to [call/launch] a sympathetic strike.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A strike in sympathy”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Discussed as a significant operational risk that can disrupt supply chains beyond a single company.
Academic
Analysed in political science, sociology, and labour law papers concerning collective bargaining and industrial action frameworks.
Everyday
Rarely used in casual conversation; appears in news reports during major industrial disputes.
Technical
A precise term in industrial relations law and trade union strategy, defining a specific type of industrial action with distinct legal implications.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The transport workers are threatening to strike sympathetically if the nurses' demands are not met.
- They voted to strike in sympathy with the dockworkers.
American English
- The union leadership, while supportive, cannot legally call to strike sympathetically.
adjective
British English
- The sympathetic strike action brought the city to a standstill.
- They faced disciplinary action for participating in sympathetic strike activities.
American English
- The court issued an injunction against any sympathetic strike activity.
- Sympathetic strike clauses are typically void in US labour contracts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The factory workers went on a sympathetic strike to help the miners.
- The union called a sympathetic strike at the port, paralysing exports in support of the manufacturing plant's dispute.
- The legislation was designed to severely curtail the ability of unions to engage in secondary or sympathetic strikes, effectively isolating industrial disputes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a STRIKE where workers are SYMPATHETIC to their colleagues' plight—they stop not for themselves, but out of solidarity.
Conceptual Metaphor
INDUSTRIAL ACTION IS WAR (a supportive, flanking maneuver). SOLIDARITY IS PHYSICAL SUPPORT (a helping hand, standing shoulder to shoulder).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'симпатичная забастовка' which is nonsensical. The correct equivalent is 'забастовка солидарности' or 'вторичная забастовка'.
- Do not confuse with 'general strike' (всеобщая забастовка). A sympathetic strike is more specific and supportive.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sympathetic strike' to describe a strike motivated by empathy for a general cause rather than a specific secondary labour action.
- Confusing it with a 'general strike' which aims for broad societal/economic change, not just support for another dispute.
Practice
Quiz
What is the key defining feature of a sympathetic strike?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A sympathetic strike is a targeted action to support a specific group of strikers. A general strike is a broader work stoppage across many industries, often for political or wide economic goals.
Legality varies by country. They are generally legal (with certain conditions) in the UK and many EU nations but are heavily restricted or illegal under US labour law (Taft-Hartley Act) as 'secondary boycotts'.
It is often called a 'solidarity strike' or a 'secondary strike'.
To demonstrate union solidarity, increase economic pressure on the employer involved in the primary dispute, and show that the dispute has wider consequences, hoping to force a quicker resolution.