Work-to-rule

Full definition of work-to-rule

Adjective

1. Of or pertaining to a labor protest in which employees do only the minimum work required by the rules of a workplace, following safety or other regulations to the letter in order to cause a slowdown.
• 2008, "EL doctors threaten ‘work to rule’ action," Dispatch Online (South Africa), 11 Jun. (retrieved 26 June 2008),Disgruntled by chronic staff shortages, doctors threatened a “work-to-rule” action at the East London Hospital Complex by the end of this week.

Noun

1. Such a labor protest.

Usage notes

A work-to-rule job action is a less severe form of labor protest than a strike, in which employees refuse to do any work.