Setting the Record Straight on "Work to Rule"
Posted on 7/23/2021
Civic Service Union 52 is currently in negotiations with the City of Edmonton for a new collective agreement. Often, negotiations can be fraught with tension and unease among members and this instance is no different. It is important to remember there is always a strategy underpinning negotiations and much preparation is put into supporting the proposals and arguments. All members must be unified and act in solidarity that aligns with that strategy and preparation.
With that said, there have been recent reports that some members have been advancing a “Work to Rule” strategy during this round of negotiations. Let’s define what that is. A “Work to Rule” campaign is used to exert pressure or gain leverage during collective bargaining. The main tactic is on-the-job action where employees do exactly what is stated in the written rules, procedures, and the contract—but nothing more. The desired effect is to slow down operations or annoy the employer. This is NOT the position of the CSU 52 Negotiations Committee and any job action is NOT sanctioned by the Union.
There are several reasons for this position. First, any job action must be a result of a complete breakdown of negotiations. This is not the case right now. Second, all actions and strategies taken during negotiations must be a collective activity and not undertaken by a few. Third, “Work to Rule” procedures are extremely complicated and have the potential to constitute an unfair labour practice. The risk of an unfair labour practice complaint during negotiations only hurts the collective bargaining process. For these reasons, the CSU 52 Negotiations Committee does not support “Work to Rule”.
We suspect that there needs to be a clarification of some messaging. For many years, beyond the current negotiations, leadership has asked members to not “work for free”. Members have been asked not to work through their lunch hours, or come in early off the clock, or stay late without being paid the overtime according to the collective agreement. This issue is always important as these “free minutes and hours” undermine the collective agreement. This is very different than “Work to Rule”. CSU 52 maintains that members should not give free time to the employer but also maintains that members should not adopt any changes to their work patterns as a part of job action.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Joe Childs.
Contact:
Joe Childs
Director of Labour Relations & Chief Spokesperson (Negotiations Committee)
Civic Service Union 52
Email: [email protected]