From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Labour relations, unionswork-to-ruleˌwork-to-ˈrule noun [singular]BELa situation in which people in a particular jobrefuse to do any additional work as a protest → strike →work to ruleExamples from the Corpuswork-to-rule• Some students had to do an extra year because of the staffwork-to-rule.• Because of their work-to-rule, teachers were no longer taking after-school clubs or supervisinglunchhours.work to rulework to ruleBritish EnglishBEL to protest about a situation at work by doing your job slowly, with the excuse that you must obey all the rules exactly →workExamples from the Corpuswork to rule• Video-Tape, no voice over ARNCOTT/Oxfordshire Prisonofficers at Bullingdon prison near Bicester began their work to rule last night.• Plantswork to rules rather different from those of animals.From Longman Business Dictionarywork-to-ruleˌwork-to-ˈrule British English, work-to-contract American English noun [singular]HUMAN RESOURCESan occasion when people protest about a situation at work by doing their job less quickly or effectively, but without breaking their employer’s rules or the terms of their contractThe work-to-rule exposed the chronic staffing problems in the emergency services. → see alsowork to rule underwork1