Instruction
Sounds like:Something barked at you by an evil headmaster.
Actually means: A formal direction from your union telling members what they are being asked to do - or more importantly not to do - as part of industrial action.
Work to Rule
Sounds like: The sort of workplace warfare practised by your more demanding colleagues.
Actually means: Doing your job strictly according to your contract, procedures and agreed duties - no unpaid extras, overtime, favours or habitual bits of “sure I’ll just do it.”
Escalation
Sounds like: Things have gone badly wrong, diplomacy has failed, and somebody is hovering over the big red button.
Actually means: Stepping up the level or scope of industrial action when a dispute remains unresolved. Basically: you’ve ignored the polite version. Here comes the less polite one.
Derogation
Sounds like: Yes, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a class of medieval torture or a reason to amputate a limb.
Actually means: An agreed exemption from industrial action for particular duties or activities considered essential to life, health or safety. In other words: we’re in dispute, but we’re not monsters.
Over to you, dear readers. Spotted a particularly baffling bit of union jargon? Send us your best/worst examples.
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