The Trade Union Representative

Negotiating activity.
Situation: Our company is negotiating an alliance with another company which
insists that all employees reduce their working hours from 40 to 35 hours per
week. If your company accepts the alliance, salaries will not be reduced but
the employees will not be able to work overtime. Many employees work overtime
to earn extra money, so consequently the loss of overtime pay would have a
negative effect. Unfortunately, your company is having serious financial
difficulties and the alliance is the only way to save the business.

Characters:
Leonardo Nerino Alonso (The Human Resources Manager)
Isaura Michel Reyes Crespo (The Finance Director)
Fernando Michel Martinez May (The Trade Union Representative)
Nathalia Gabriela Mendez Huitron (The Production Manager)

Act 1
Place: Executive meeting room

(Leo) The Human Resources Manager: Hello good morning. Before I start, let me
briefly introduce myself. I'm michel and I'm the human resources manager

(Isaura) The Finance Director: Good morning.

(Nathalia) The Production Manager. Hello, Good Morning.

(Michel) The Trade Union Representative:: It's a pleasure to meet you, good
morning..

(Leo) Human Resources Manager: The situation is that our workers are worried
and unhappy knowing that they won't be able to work overtime.

(Isaura) Finance Director: I understand that but we know that this arises as
a result of the new alliance proposal with the other company. However, we are
in serious financial trouble and the alliance would save our business.
The Trade Union Representative

(Michel): We are aware of the current situation, but the needs of our
employees must be considered, since many of them depend on the money earned
from overtime work, but by joining that alliance, these overtime hours would
be eliminated, not to mention that the salary is very short. Therefore, we
don’t agree with the alliance proposal.

(Nathalia) The Production Manager: Hmm.. I'm not sure about the alliance
proposal because if this happens, the working hours would be reduced from 40
hours a week and it would only be 35 hours a week. I am very concerned that
the company's production will be affected by these new changes.

(Isaura) Finance Director: What I would like to suggest is to accept this

alliance with the terms and conditions because it will allow us to save
financial resources. If you agree, salaries won't be affected and working 35
hours a week will reduce expenses in the company.

(Nathalia) The Production Manager: Yes, I see your point. But my situation is
this. I am concerned that reducing working hours may affect the production of
the company and this may cause many problems with our clients.

(Leo) Human Resources Manager: Ok, I understand that but I believe that the
recruitment department can fix that aspect by hiring more people and with the
alliance this will be easier because we will have more economic resources to
carry this out.

(Michel) The Trade Union Representative: That's a good idea and maybe we could
discuss overtime hours as well? But we also have to see how to improve the
salary of the employees because lately I have seen that many complain that it
is not enough.

(Isaura) Finance Director: That sounds possible. How about if we give more
priority to increase the salary with the help of the alliance and in this way
not depend so much on overtime work?

(Michel) The Trade Union Representative: Ok that seems reasonable. Then I

agree to these terms and conditions
The Trade Union Representative

(Leo)Human resource manager: I understand that a good position in the market

will make us achieve greater internal benefits, such as assuming a salary
increase when possible.

(Michel) The Trade Union Representative:

That seems pretty good. It will benefit from different points of view to be
able to generate more income and maintain the same so that our co-workers
don’t feel the change and see that it was to improve and not to evil.

(Nathalia) The Production Manager: I would agree with the alliance as long as
everything goes as we discussed in this meeting.

Leo: Okay, with this we end today's meeting, thank you very much for your
comments and hopefully everything goes in the best way