work to rule

Related to work to rule: Overtime ban

work to rule

A situation in which employees work only as much as has been agreed upon and no more, typically as a bargaining strategy (by unions). Instead of going on strike and stopping their work altogether, workers keep a more limited schedule than usual (i.e., no overtime), in order to slow down productivity. A: "The boss wants me to work some overtime tonight, but I can't, right?" B: "No. Because we're in a work to rule, you can only work your normal eight hours."
See also: rule, work
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

work to rule

(especially as a form of industrial action) follow official working regulations exactly in order to reduce output and efficiency. chiefly British
See also: rule, work
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • table
  • any (one) worth (one's) salt
  • keel over
  • young man
  • walk it off
  • walk off
  • cause (some) eyebrows to raise
  • cause eyebrows to raise and cause some raised eyebrows
  • cause raised eyebrows
  • eyebrow
References in periodicals archive
Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry general secretary Marios Tsiakkis and Cyprus Shipping Association general manager Lefteris Kouzapas estimated that shipping companies and import-export companies have suffered heavy losses already since the work to rule began.
Work to rule action was originally planned for yesterday but it was suspended after the company's management agreed to hold talks.
One Coventry bobby said work to rule was being discussed, but any such action was a long way in the future.
An overtime ban and a work to rule have been implemented at the plant since the middle of last month.
Michael Leahy, ISTC general secretary, confirmed that the work to rule - the withdrawal of goodwill and cooperation - had been suspended.
SEPLA, the union representing pilots with Spanish carrier Iberia, has told its members to work to rule.
Everyone is familiar with instances where workers do not strike but withdraw their voluntary cooperation and "work to rule.' In the Boston subway system, for example, the rules say that a train cannot leave the train yards without its window wipers in working order.
Members are saying that the work to rule is enabling them to put their pens down at the end of the day and is giving them permission to go home on time.
Last night, city bosses said it was too early to tell how many bins may not have been collected because of the work to rule action, but they were monitoring the situation.
* Work to rule Instead, the Police Federation would be more supportive of work to rule, in which officers would do no more than the bare minimum of what is required of them - including not working beyond their contracted hours such as neighbourhood officers attending Pact meetings.
It makes me sick when people work to rule. How do you define this measure?
ALL-OUT strikes and a subsequent work to rule by civil servants in Greece are creating a climate of uncertainty as far as flying out of Cyprus is concerned.
The staff at Hewlett Packard, based at the Cobalt Business Park in North Tyneside, are planning to work to rule next Thursday and a full walk-out on Friday.
St Matthew 7, 12 WORK to rule? Every many Jack of us should work to rule - the golden rule.