Understanding 'Work to Rule'

SCHOOL LAW ADVISORY
Volume 30, No. 4

In September 2018, the labor union that represents firefighters in the City of Manchester announced their intent to restrict their work activities to those duties identified in their job descriptions and in their collective bargaining agreement. This type of restriction on work activities is commonly referred to as “work to rule.” The Union’s announcement followed the Board of Mayor and Alderman’s rejection of a proposed wage adjustment for City firefighters, whose last collective bargaining agreement expired in 2017. As a result of the Union’s announcement, the Manchester Fire Department anticipated that few firefighters would volunteer to participate in the annual Fire Prevention Week Parade scheduled for October 7, 2018. As a result, the event, a 64 year tradition, was cancelled.

In the private sector, employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining have the ability to use their … To continue reading, visit https://schoollaw.com/school-law-advisory. 


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