Work-to-Rule
Labor strategy in which employees strictly follow their job descriptions and work contracts, refusing to work overtime or perform any tasks that are not explicitly outlined in their agreements, often used as a form of protest or negotiation.
Origin
The phrase "work to rule" entered English by the early 1920s, applied to the labor tactic of strict literal compliance with workplace rules as a form of protest. The tactic — also called a sciopero bianco ("white strike") in Italy — became a recognized form of industrial action wherever outright strikes were restricted. A defining moment came in 1972, when British rail workers belonging to ASLEF followed their rulebook to the letter during a pay dispute, paralyzing British Rail without a single worker leaving their post.