lockout

Definition

The reverse Uno card of labor disputes where management barricades the door and tells workers they're not welcome until they accept company terms. Unlike a strike where workers walk out, here the boss literally locks them out—turning the workplace into an exclusive club where employees suddenly aren't on the guest list. It's the industrial relations equivalent of changing the locks on your roommate.

Example Usage

The NHL lockout lasted 113 days, proving that billionaires and millionaires can argue about money longer than anyone thought possible.

Source: Labor relations terminology

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