What is the term for when US government workers don't go to work due to funding/political impasse?

Question

I know there's one word to describe this but I can't think of it, it's not widely used outside the us. It's a bit like a strike but not quite I think

Answer 1

It's called a shutdown. The longest was from December 16, 1995, to January 6, 1996. Man, that was a lovely Christmas and New Years!