School boards, superintendents and principals should prepare for
the potential for labour unrest given the current political climate
in Ontario. A work-to-rule campaign is one strategy often employed
by unions representing elementary and secondary school teachers and
support staff to exert political pressure or gain leverage during
collective bargaining.
Work-to-rule can constitute an illegal strike where there is a
concerted, collective activity that interferes with normal or
long-standing activities. Work-to-rule campaigns take many forms,
but examples of prior actions by unions include: refusing to
complete report card comments or parent-teacher interviews or to
attend staff meetings; failing to respond to e-mail or phone
communications from administrators or to update classroom websites
or newsletters; or mass sick leave claims.
