The Collaborative International Dictionary
Awkward squad \Awk"ward squad\ (Mil.) A squad of inapt recruits assembled for special drill.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (cx military English) A squad of inept recruits assembled for special drill. 2 A group of inept or incompetent individuals in an organization.
Wikipedia
An awkward squad is a group of individuals, normally within an existing organisation or structure, who resist or obstruct change, either through incompetence or by deliberate association.
The awkward squad is an informal grouping of socialist trade unionists in the United Kingdom. The term was given in 2002-03 to those that opposed what they regarded as the economically liberal policies of the ruling New Labour faction of the Labour Party. It includes such figures as the late Bob Crow of the RMT, Mark Serwotka of the PCS and Jeremy Dear of the NUJ, and has seen an increase in co-operation between unions in an attempt to set a new political agenda.
The awkward squad is split between those who wish to "reclaim" the Labour Party for socialism, and those who want to break with Labour and try to build a new socialist movement. Some of the latter have already shown some support for parties, including the Scottish Socialist Party and the Respect Coalition. Two former members of the Awkward Squad have since lost their union posts. In July 2003, Mick Rix of ASLEF was ousted by the moderate Shaun Brady. Two years later, in May 2005, Andy Gilchrist, a member of the "reclaim Labour" grouping, was ousted by Matt Wrack, who is more inclined towards building a new party. Jeremy Dear is a supporter of the Socialist Appeal tendency within the Labour Party.
Gilchrist has said that "It's a well known secret that many of us meet up to discuss. We'll support each other on specific issues and follow each other's lead."
Usage examples of "awkward squad".
But in fact your night sack time was subject to alerts, to night duty, to field marches, and to acts of God and the whims of those over you, and your evenings, if not ruined by awkward squad or extra duty for minor offenses, were likely to be taken up by shining shoes, doing laundry, swapping haircuts (some of us got to be pretty fair barbers but a clean sweep like a billiard ball was acceptable and anybody can do that) not to mention a thousand other chores having to do with equipment, person, and the demands of sergeants.
But in fact your night sack time was subject to alerts, to night duty, to field marches, and to acts of God and the whims of those over you, and your evenings, if not ruined by awkward squad or extra duty for minor offenses, were likely to be taken up by shining shoes, doing laundry, swapping haircuts (some of us got to be pretty fair barbers but a clean sweep like a billiard ball was acceptable and anybody can do that) -- not to mention a thousand other chores having to do with equipment, person, and the demands of sergeants.
But in fact your night sack time was subject to alerts, to night duty, to field marches, and to acts of God and the whims of those over you, and your evenings, if not ruined by awkward squad or extra duty for minor offenses, were likely to be taken up by shining shoes, doing laundry, swapping haircuts (some of us got to be pretty fair barbers but a clean sweep like a billiard ball was acceptable and anybody can do that)not to mention a thousand other chores having to do with equipment, person, and the demands of sergeants.
But if you remember, you asked me to do what I could to get to know the awkward squad and bring them a bit more under control, so I kept her talking for a time, just the same.
On the second day the three Rover boys were placed in the awkward squad, to learn the military drill.