logjam
noun [ C ]
(also log-jam) uk/ˈlɒɡdʒæm/ usa situation in which no progress can be made because an agreement cannot be reached:
The union told its members it would try to break the log-jam by dealing with individual companies.
a legislative/political/legal logjam High oil prices could unlock the political logjam that has blocked developments in alternative energy.
a large number of things that have not been dealt with because there are too many to deal with:
Without the improvements travellers will start to see continual log-jams at the airport's check-in areas.
a logjam of sth Yesterday's canceled meeting has created a logjam of work.
Email and video-conferencing helped to break the bureaucratic logjam.