Blue flu

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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]

Contents

History

The term itself [10] and similar terms [11] have been used where unions could be heavily penalized. Alternatives to these terms include "slowdown" and "virtual work stoppage." [12]

In the United States, there blue flu work stoppages have been used many times:

In the Republic of Ireland on 1 May 1998, 5,000 Gardaí (police) reported sick; public order was maintained by putting the Irish Army on standby and removing Gardaí from training and administrative work. [16] It is illegal in Ireland for police to strike or form unions. [17] [18]

Reasons

Some of the common reasons for these actions are:

Sometimes the proclaimed reason masks something else, such as when enforcing an unpopular decision is claimed to be a contract violation. [24]

In the view of police abolitionist Josie Duffy Rice blue flu is the result of: calls for police accountability or a perceived public critique of policing or police culture of any kind, of in an attempt to blackmail the public into abandoning attempts at police reform and/or removing public officials who advocate accountability. [25]

In Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu , a novel based on the TV series Monk , the main character is given a chance to return to his city's police force during a labor dispute. It's distasteful to him that "he'll be a 'scab'." [26] A blue flu strike was also a background premise to "The Party's Over", a season 5 episode of CSI NY , aired in 2009; as well as an eponymous episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine in 2021.

The idea of the Blue Flu was referenced in the Babylon 5 episode By Any Means Necessary in 1995, with respect to a labour strike.

"Barney Miller", a sitcom about NYPD detectives in a Greenwich Village precinct, ran a two-part Blue Flu episode called "Strike" in March 1977.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 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. 1 2 "Injunction ends a police strike". The New York Times . January 28, 1971.
  6. 1 2 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.
  10. ↑ Newhill, Christina E.; Wexler, Sandra (November 18, 1992). "Client violence toward children and youth services social workers". Children and Youth Services Review. 19 (3): 195–212. doi:10.1016/S0190-7409(97)00014-5. caseworkers get 'blue fever'
  11. ↑ McCartin, Joseph A. (January 14, 2009). "It's time for Federal Workers to get sick". police get 'blue flu,' fire fighters the 'red rash,' and teachers 'chalk-dust fever.'
  12. 1 2 3 Clare Sestanovich (January 6, 2015). "A Short History of Police Protest: From Calvin Coolidge to Bill de Blasio". The Marshall Project.
  13. ↑ Andrew, Grim (July 1, 2020). "What is the 'blue flu' and how has it increased police power?". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  14. ↑ Shepherd, Katie (June 18, 2020). "Atlanta police call in sick to protest murder charge against officer who shot Rayshard Brooks". The Washington Post.
  15. ↑ Almasy, Steve; Young, Ryan; Sayers, Devon M. (June 18, 2020). "Atlanta police shortages continue for second day". CNN. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  16. ↑ Brennan, Cianan (October 2016). "Looking back: Here's how things looked the last time the gardaí went on strike". TheJournal.ie.
  17. ↑ "Review will recommend that gardaí can join trade unions". independent. December 12, 2016.
  18. ↑ Hennessy, Michelle (August 7, 2016). "Factcheck: Is it illegal for gardaí to go on strike?". TheJournal.ie.
  19. ↑ Kirk Johnson (September 23, 1991). "Three Killed in New Haven During a Sickout by Police". The New York Times. angered by .. city's Police Chief ... disciplinary proceedings against two officers involved in the killing of a drug suspect .. had been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing ..the police officers' union voted .. to ask the chief to resign.
  20. ↑ "'Blue Flu' Hits Policemen". The New York Times. AP. January 14, 1971.
  21. ↑ "'Blue Flu': Expensive Epidemic". Los Angeles Times . June 1, 1994. working without a contract or pay raise since 1991 .. the last three years
  22. ↑ The closure of "nearly 100" Irish police stations due to budgeting reasons even as the murder of a Detective was still an open matter: Hugh O'Connell (February 4, 2013). "'It's not on' - Garda Commissioner critical of work-to-rule, 'blue flu' threats". the issue of station closures ... is an emotive issue
  23. ↑ German Lopez (December 31, 2014). "New York City police officers are protesting by refusing to work. It's not the first time". Vox Media. 'From the police point of view, they are working a very, very dangerous job,' Thompson said
  24. ↑ John Kifner (September 8, 1975). "Guardsmen in Boston for Busing Today". The New York Times. contention that the contract has been broken by a change of shifts and overtime orders ... Night shift officers have complained .. will lose their night differential if they work overtime during the day.
  25. ↑ Rice, Josie Duffy (August 25, 2020). "The Abolition Movement". Vanity Fair . Retrieved September 4, 2020. Calls for accountability are often met with indignance and threats to desert those most affected by crime. The practice of officers, at the slightest sign of public critique, calling in sick en masse and refusing to do their jobs has long been called 'blue flu.'
  26. ↑ Lee Goldberg. "Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu".
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