"Industrial action" does ring a bell (6)
I believe the answer is:
strike
'industrial action' is the definition.
(workers going on strike)
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for strike that I've seen before include "make an impact" , "Hit at a trade dispute" , "An industrial dispute, pickets out" , "Hit the labour withdrawal" , "Hit sharply" .)