Toledo Cops Claiming 'Blue Flu'

As Portland this year enters another round of contract negotiations with its police union, this story popped out today from my old hometown rag The Toledo Blade.

After Mayor Mike Bell re-opened Toledo cops' contract midway through due to a city budget crisis, half of the police scheduled to work last night called in sick. It's illegal for cops to officially declare a strike, and so this type of protest action is sometimes referred to as "blue flu."

With Portland in worse financial shape than previously thought, let's hope it doesn't come to this here.