noun

• A strike action, especially among police officers, in which workers are absent on the pretext of sickness.

  ‘Even the blue flu by police and firemen could be tolerated.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘They are barred from taking strike action but may consider other forms of protest, similar to the ‘blue flu’ of some years ago when thousands of members went out sick.’
  • ‘Disgruntled drivers are pushing for an unofficial ‘choo-choo flu’ in the run-up to Christmas - similar to the Garda ‘blue flu’ - as complaints grow about staff shortages and rostering problems at the tram company.’
  • ‘They are threatening to picket the convention, or possibly organise an outbreak of ‘blue flu’, to press their demands.’
  • ‘Two dozen police officers are accused of coming down with a case of “blue flu” – a sick-out in protest of their frozen wages.’