Use When
Agencies demand rapid data handovers through administrative subpoenas or by purchasing location data to evade courts.
Curfews stifle assembly, comply minimally, and refuse enforcement help.
Loyalty pledges and speech autonomy are required.
Instructions
- 1
Conceptualize the noncooperation campaign by auditing organizational obligations to define a strict, "lawful-process-only" objective that strips away discretionary assistance.
- 2
Sharpen the public narrative into a professional, compliance-focused mandate contrasting rigorous regulatory adherence with the regime's overreaching directives.
- 3
Form the core coordination team, assigning specific roles for legal counsel, policy administrators, staff trainers, and communication leads.
- 4
Partner with trade unions, privacy watchdogs, and legal allies to validate workplace protection standards and secure independent monitoring.
- 5
Operationalize the resistance by executing meticulous tabletop drills that train staff to demand written scopes and stall arbitrary pressures.
- 6
Build public visibility in advance by publishing detailed service-continuity plans to protect the general public from operational harm.
- 7
Engage media networks by distributing policy briefs explaining that delays stem exclusively from the regime's extra-legal demands.
- 8
Execute the work-to-rule strategy with absolute nonviolent discipline, utilizing standardized refusal scripts while logging every government request.
- 9
Anchor the narrative post-action by publishing weekly delay summaries to expose institutional friction, maintaining pressure until safeguards are met.
Historic Parallels
- France, various years, railway “work‑to‑rule” inspections slowed schedules and forced negotiations on staffing and safety.
- Canada (Ontario), 2015, teachers’ work‑to‑rule campaign escalated pressure and advanced contract bargaining.
- United Kingdom, 2025, land registry staff adopted work‑to‑rule, compelling engagement on attendance rules.
France, various years, railway “work‑to‑rule” inspections slowed schedules and forced negotiations on staffing and safety. Modern Examples
- A municipal records office adopts “written order only” processing.
- A delivery or logistics company follows every safety and labor rule to the letter, removing discretionary rushes that authorities try to exploit for surveillance or crowd‑control goals.
- University administrators satisfy lawful reporting but decline extra analyses.
Participants
Individual
Yes
6–12 core coordinators—legal counsel, policy lead, training lead, communications, digital security, and site points of contact—plus union or professional liaisons in large workplaces. Ideally need 15-20% of staff in a "bottleneck" department, like logistics, records, or data compliance.
Helpful Materials
- Door and desk signage stating “lawful process only”
- Staff cue cards
- Refusal scripts
- Template letters demanding judge‑signed orders
- Privacy impact and risk‑assessment checklists
References
Use of Action Playbook educational materials must adhere with Unruled Masses’ Terms of Service.
Stay Nonviolent. Coordinate Strategically. Take Back Your Power.