QUESTION

In Jay Engineering Works after a three month strike the work had resumed. However, on the

very first day of resumption of work there was a problem on account of shortage of snacks in the

first shift which resulted in a tool down. In the first shift on the day of resumption of work,

Samosas were served as snacks for breakfast. The normal rule was that each workman should

take only two pieces of snacks. However, as the Samosas were tasty, the workmen started

consuming more than two Samosas which resulted in shortage of Samosas. Ashok, a workman

who was a very reasonable person and who was considered as very close to the management, had

come late to the canteen. When he found that the Samosas were not available, he raised a hue

and cry and demanded from the Canteen Officer that Samosas should be served to him and that

he would not accept any other snacks except Samosas. The Canteen Officer expressed his

inability to serve Samosas and instead offered to serve biscuits. Ashok declined to accept the

same and once again insisted that he should be served Samosas. When the canteen Officer told

Ashok that it was not possible for him to serve Samosas, Ashok got upset and took his grievance

to the Union Committee members. The Union Committee members felt that this was an

opportunity for them to win over Ashok to their side. They, therefore took up the cause of Ashok

with the Canteen Officer. They threatened the canteen Officer that they resort to a tool down if

the grievance of Ashok was not resolved. The Canteen Officer expressed his inability to serve

Samosas to Ashok, but offered to serve biscuits instead. Not satisfied with the solution given by

the Canteen Officer, the Union Committee members gave a call for a tool down. The activities of

Jay Engineering works came to a grinding halt.

As a Personnel Manager of this Company how would you handle this case?
ANSWER

As the Personnel Manager, I would consider that the company has commenced only on that day

after three months of strike and the fact that customers will also start losing confidence in the

management therefore anything that would make the workmen put down their tools should not

be entertained because there has already been a substantial delay in productivity due to the strike.

I would call the Union and Ashok and explain to them that the canteen made adequate number of

samosas and that the shortage was created by some workmen who took more than their quota and

that it is the workmen that violated the norms but not the management.

I would also explain to the union that supplying samosas at any time cannot be a condition of

service or term of employment and besides the normal rule was that each workman should take

only two pieces of snacks and not samosas. The canteen happened to serve samosas that day but

Ashok came late to the canteen. Had he come to the canteen within the stipulated hours, he

would have gotten Samosas. He could have accepted the biscuits too because it was also a snack.

Hence the union’s call for a tool down is not justifiable.

Furthermore, for a union to call for a tool down, there must have been some petitions or

negotiations placed before the Management and there has been a consensus but the management

later failed to commit. In Jay Engineering’s case there was nothing like that. That was no

meeting with the Management and therefore the tool down should be called off.

On the other, the personnel manager can buy Samosas from outside and give to Ashok as he is

closed to the management. This consideration will thwart the opponents move to drag Ashok to

their side.
If it is not called off. then the management can initiate disciplinary action active workmen who

spear headed the tool down strike for refusing to work as per the standing orders/service rules.

If the Management is to sit for a meeting, there can be a suggestion that a canteen committee be

formed comprising of Management representatives and Union members to ensure quality/

quantity and equitable distribution of food. This will ensure that such problems do not arise in

future and even if it arises the workmen are also a party to it.

As the Personnel Manager if all these is taken in consideration Jay Engineering Works would

come back to normal again.