can sick out be a verb?

[ostap77]

"Miami-Dade schools brace for possible teacher sick-out over education bill."

Can I use 'sick-out' as a verb?

"Miami-Dade school teachers are going to sick out over the education bill.''

 

[JTRiff]

No. Please don't, the language is mangled enough as it is.

Sick out? Do you possibly mean 'out sick' as in off work due to illness?

 

[ostap77]

No. Please don't, the language is mangled enough as it is.

Sick out? Do you possibly mean 'out sick' as in off work due to illness?

It's when the staff are not officially allowed to be on strike they just call in sick?

 

[riquecohen]

"Sick-out" is a noun. It is not used as a verb. You can say that the employees are planning/staging/arranging a sick-out.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's when the staff are not officially allowed to be on strike they just call in sick?

That's correct. It's the labor union equivalent to the toddler's temper tantrum.

 

[Tdol]

It can be a verb in other contexts, though.

 

[bhaisahab]

It can be a verb in other contexts, though.

I only know it in other contexts, I've never heard it used for taking a sick day off work.

 

[JTRiff]

Hmm. Well, people say 'peace out' here a lot... I'm hoping it goes away, and 'sick out' can join it.:-?

 

[Ouisch]

I don't think "sick out" can be used as a verb, as it is a term that was specifically coined as a noun to describe a particular united labor action. If the administrators don't agree to the teachers' demands, then all the teachers in the Miami-Dade school district will stay home and "phone in sick", i.e. take a day off due to illness. If 500 or more teachers all take a sick day at the same time, the school district will never be able to provide enough substitute teachers and classes will have to be cancelled.

As a verbal phrase, you'd have to say something like "Miami teachers staged a sick out" or "Miami teachers arranged a sick out".

 

[Tdol]

In Britain we pull/throw a sickie when we pretend to be ill to take time off.