This past summer, the Caucus brought a proposal to the PFT executive leadership to run a city-wide work-to-rule campaign. The purpose of such a campaign would be to have educators work to the exact letter of their contract for a limited time only, in order to highlight the great lengths that we go to every day to hold our schools together. The PFT did not adopt this as a universal campaign, but did recommend it as a possible action schools could take this fall.

Two essential pieces are educating families in advance of the action and running the campaign for a limited time only. The purpose is to reveal to the public just how many gaps educators fill, not to use that extra work as a bargaining chip. 

Below is the story of how Mifflin Elementary arranged their Work To Rule Campaign. Reported by Caucus Member Pamela Roy.

I am on the building committee at Mifflin, and last week we voted to do a work to rule action October 5th-9th. The first step was for the building committee members to reach out to all other members of the building to explain what it means and why we're doing it, to get them on board. A coworker and I worked on a letter to parents explaining the same, which will go home at the end of this week.

Link to Letter Mifflin sent out (with detailed description of their actions)

Link to PFT template letter (with handy "how you can help" section for parents to contact SDP and the SRC)

During the week, we plan to support our colleagues in strictly following the contract. This means we are in at 8:20 and out at 3:09. No extra help offered to students on our lunch break, or contacting parents after school hours. No clubs will be held. No helping out with monitoring the schoolyard or cafeteria before 8:20 or dismissal procedures after 3:09.

We are also doing an extra action per day. Monday we are wearing PFT pins (such as the ones that say "Respect" or "Every child deserves a school nurse everyday"). On Tuesday we are writing and sending emails to elected officials to lobby for full, fair funding. Wednesday, we will do the same via phone. Thursday is PFT red shirt day, and on Friday, we will gather after school for happy hour off campus to debrief and talk about what went well, and what didn't.

The purpose of the action is for our parents and community members to understand how much extra work and effort we put in above and beyond what we are contractually required to do. Remember, parents are our allies, and it is important for them to help them see the current state of our schools due to current budgetary conditions.

If you are interested in a similar action at your school, and would like additional information about how we organized ours, feel free to contact me at [email protected] with questions.