A work-to-rule is a form of protest by workers who do not stop working — they keep working, but do exactly and only what their contract and the official rules require. No overtime. No covering for absent colleagues. No answering emails at night. No little extras that keep the place running smoothly.

A work-to-rule是 by workers who do not stop working由不停止工作的工人進行的 a form of protest一種抗議形式——they keep working他們繼續工作，but但 do exactly and only what確實做、也只做 their contract and the official rules require契約和正式規則所要求的事。No不 overtime加班。No不 for absent colleagues替缺席的同事 covering代班。No不 at night在晚上 answering emails回電子郵件。that keep the place running smoothly讓整個地方順利運轉的 little extras那些小小的額外付出，No一樣也不做。

The clever, quiet point behind it is this: most workplaces only function because people do more than the rules say. Teachers run clubs after school. Nurses stay late. Train drivers accept extra shifts. When everyone suddenly follows the rulebook to the letter, the whole system slows down or jams — and nobody can be punished, because they are all obeying the rules perfectly. It is a strike you cannot be fired for.

behind it它背後 The clever, quiet point那個聰明又安靜的用意 is this是這個：most workplaces大多數職場 only function之所以能運作，because是因為 people人們 do more than the rules say做得比規則說的更多。Teachers老師 after school放學後 run clubs帶社團。Nurses護理師 stay late留到很晚。Train drivers火車司機 accept extra shifts接下額外的班。When當 everyone所有人 suddenly突然 to the letter一字不差地 follows the rulebook照規則手冊做事，the whole system整個系統 slows down or jams就慢下來或卡住——and而且 nobody沒有人 can be punished能被處罰，because因為 they are all他們全都 perfectly完美地 obeying the rules遵守著規則。It is這是 you cannot be fired for一場你不會因此被開除的 strike罷工。

It is a countable noun ('the union called a work-to-rule'), and also works as an adjective before a noun ('a work-to-rule campaign'). Without hyphens, 'work to rule' is the verb phrase: 'the nurses voted to work to rule'.

It is它是 a countable noun可數名詞（'the union called a work-to-rule'工會發起了一場按章工作），and also也 before a noun放在名詞前 works as an adjective當形容詞用（'a work-to-rule campaign'一場按章工作的行動）。Without hyphens不加連字號的 'work to rule' is是 the verb phrase動詞片語：'the nurses voted to work to rule'護理師投票決定按章工作。

The term is strongly British and Commonwealth, and belongs to unions, railways, schools, and hospitals. Americans know the idea but tend to say 'rule-book slowdown' or 'blue flu'. It sits in a family with 'go-slow' (deliberately working slowly) and 'strike' (stopping altogether) — a work-to-rule is the mildest of the three, and often the first step.

The term這個詞 is strongly British and Commonwealth有很重的英國和大英國協色彩，and belongs to屬於 unions, railways, schools, and hospitals工會、鐵路、學校和醫院。Americans美國人 know the idea知道這個概念，but但 tend to say傾向改說 'rule-book slowdown' or或 'blue flu'。It它 with 'go-slow'和 'go-slow'（deliberately working slowly故意慢慢做）and 'strike'跟 'strike'（stopping altogether完全停工）sits in a family同屬一個家族——a work-to-rule是 the mildest of the three三者中最溫和的，and often而且常常是 the first step第一步。