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work-to-rule

noun [C usually singular]
 
 
/ˌwɜːk.təˈruːl/ US  /ˌwɝːk-/

Definition

a situation in which people carefully obey all the rules and instructions given to them about their jobs, with the intention of reducing the amount of work they do: A work-to-rule is seen as a way to protest against low pay or bad working conditions.Industrial action
(Definition of work-to-rule noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
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