Industrial action

Industrial action or job action refers collectively to any measure taken by trade unions or other organized labor meant to reduce productivity in a workplace. Quite often it is used and interpreted, mistakenly but the scope is much wider. Other times slowdowns are accompanied to provide further disruption. 

Industrial action may take place in the context of a labor dispute or may be meant to effect political or social change. A slowdown is an industrial action in which employees perform their duties but seek to reduce productivity or efficiency in their performance of these duties. 

A slowdown may be used as either a prelude or an alternative to a strike, as it is seen as less disruptive as well as less risky and costly for workers and their union. Striking workers usually go unpaid and risk being replaced, so a slowdown is seen as a way to put pressure on management while avoiding these outcomes. 

This has the advantage of allowing workers and unions to claim that no malfeasance is being committed, since they are doing only what the management's rules actually require them to do. For instance, many subways are required to keep doors open for a certain amount of time at each stop, whereas in practice doors are often closed sooner.