In a bold move that's got zookeepers sliding on thin ice, a group of emperor penguins at the Antarctic Zoo has staged a full-blown walkout. These tuxedo-clad rebels, tired of what they call 'insufficiently chilled' krill servings, have abandoned their icy enclosure and are now picketing the gift shop entrance. Signs held aloft by flippers read 'No Justice, No Waddle' and 'Krill or Be Killed,' leaving visitors both amused and a bit peckish.

The protest began early this morning when lead agitator Percy the Penguin, a veteran of the zoo's breeding program, declared the rations 'a fishy scam.' Witnesses report that Percy rallied his feathered comrades with a impassioned squawk, leading to a mass exodus from the exhibit. Zookeepers attempted to intervene with buckets of herring, but the penguins turned up their beaks, demanding 'premium Antarctic delicacies' instead of what they deemed 'budget bait.'

Zoo officials are scrambling to negotiate, but the penguins aren't budging—or rather, they're budging only in synchronized protest marches. 'We've offered them extra ice time and belly-sliding privileges,' said zoo director Dr. Frostbite McGee. 'But these birds want the whole ocean on a platter.' Meanwhile, the standoff has turned the zoo into a spectacle, with crowds gathering to watch the slippery sit-in.

Not all zoo residents are on board with the rebellion. A lone seal in the adjacent exhibit was overheard barking, 'They're just being flipper-ent. My fish is fine!' But solidarity is growing; rumors swirl that the polar bears might join in, demanding better salmon stocks and fewer documentary crews.

As the day wears on, the penguins have set up a makeshift camp complete with igloo-shaped barricades made from snow cones pilfered from the concession stand. Chants of 'What do we want? Better krill! When do we want it? Now!' echo through the halls, occasionally interrupted by the sound of webbed feet slapping against the floor in what appears to be a penguin conga line of defiance.

Experts in avian labor disputes are weighing in, suggesting this could be the start of a larger movement. 'Penguins have long been the underbirds of the zoo world,' noted ornithologist Dr. Beaky Thompson. 'If this spreads, we could see flamingos striking for taller stilts or parrots unionizing for more colorful vocabulary.'

Zoo management has called in mediators from the International Wildlife Workers Union, but talks are frozen solid. In a press release, the penguins' spokesbird tweeted (from a borrowed smartphone): 'We're not chickening out. Give us the fish we deserve, or we'll migrate to a zoo that cares!'

As night falls on the Antarctic Zoo, the rebellious flock shows no signs of cooling off. Visitors are advised to bring their own snacks, as the gift shop's krill chips are now being boycotted. Will the penguins prevail, or will they be lured back with promises of gourmet goodies? Stay tuned for more on this chilling tale of avian uprising.