Work-to-rule
What is the work-to-rule?
Work-to-rule means a form of protest in which employees do not leave their positions, but perform their duties in an extremely meticulous manner. They stick to procedures, regulations and the scope of official duties, without overtime, informal favors or additional initiative. In practice, this leads to a slowdown in the pace of work, a decrease in productivity and shows how the company works when it is based solely on formal rules.
The name comes from Italy, where a similar form of protest was known as sciopero bianco. It was used especially when workers wanted to express dissatisfaction with working conditions, but without completely interrupting the performance of tasks.
Why do workers decide to work-to-rule?
Employees may choose work-to-rule when previous talks with the employer have not had any effect. The reasons may be low wages, overload of duties, lack of people, limited access to tools, poor work organization or deteriorating safety. In such situations, the protest is to show the other side of the company’s daily functioning and how much depends on the flexibility of the team.
What does the work-to-rule look like in practice?
In practice, the work-to-rule is about performing duties very accurately and literally. Examples of Italian strikes are meticulously checking documents, carrying out every action according to instructions, refusing to work overtime, carefully checking safety rules before starting tasks, or doing only what is stipulated in the contract and regulations.
Work is formally ongoing, but processes slow down, and the organization may have trouble serving customers, fulfilling orders, or maintaining a normal pace of operations.
Is the work-to-rule legal in Poland?
In Poland, the work-to-rule is not directly regulated as a separate, legal form of protest. In the case of collective disputes, the provisions on the resolution of collective disputes are important, which provide, m.in, for the submission of demands, negotiations, mediation and only later the possibility of organizing a strike. Therefore, each situation must be assessed individually, taking into account the circumstances, the actions of the employees and the reaction of the employer.
In the case of work-to-rule, the risk is that participants may not benefit from the protection provided for legal industrial action. At the same time, employers may find it difficult to prove ill faith if employees formally perform their duties in accordance with regulations and instructions.
Consequences of the work-to-rule
The consequences for employees depend on the scale of the protest and the way it is carried out. If the employer believes that there has been a deliberate slowdown in work or a violation of official duties, it may consider a disciplinary penalty, loss of bonus, other financial penalty, and in more serious cases, even dismissal from work. The dispute may also concern whether the employee acted in accordance with the scope of duties or intentionally harmed the company.
For a company, the work-to-rule means a drop in productivity, slower performance of tasks, delays and tensions in communication. It can also lead to image problems, financial losses and customer dissatisfaction, especially when the delays are related to service, orders or critical services.
Rights and obligations of employees
During the protest, the employee still has the rights under the labour law, but he or she is not bound by the obligations under the contract, regulations and health and safety regulations. The work-to-rule should not threaten people, property or the continuity of safety-relevant processes. Documents, the content of the instructions, the scope of duties, the way of communication and whether the actions were justified by working conditions may be important.
The work-to-rule as a tool for negotiation
The work-to-rule is sometimes used as a warning signal and a tool of pressure in talks with the employer. The reduction of additional responsibilities shows how much the company gains from the flexibility of the team and the work performed above the formal minimum. In the best-case scenario, such a protest does not escalate the conflict, but opens up space for a conversation about remuneration, working conditions, the scope of tasks and the real time needed to perform them.
