Case No.1: In Jay Engineering Works after a three months 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?
From India, New Delhi
6As a Personnel Manager of this Company how would you handle this case?
From India, New Delhi
1) how workers can have more samosa when there is presence of canteen committee and canteen officer?
2) if union people will be happy after having samosa only then canteen officer should have arranged samosa from outside.
3)
From India, Pune
2) if union people will be happy after having samosa only then canteen officer should have arranged samosa from outside.
3)
From India, Pune
Good Morning to all,
as i read the incident i think its not a big issue but for any Union members or any other culprit who are not in favor of company this situation is very great to show his power or strength. but according to HR Manager it is the first need for HR guy to made his own network with the company people and try to make their own group who can stand against the union whenever its required. may be its a planned incident which was planned by the union members or any other guy. so in such type of the case we need to identify the people who served more than 02 snacks. secondly being as a HR manger any manager must be handled the situation personally. because its more effective to control the situation by a senior rather than a junior.
don't be aggressive because any strong action can be harmful to you and for company because as a HR guy you must think about each and every corner.
(02) being as a HR guy you must think that its a beginning of a problem and may be more problem can be raised in future. so try to close the matter at the moment and make a plan to control the such type of future activity.
identify the people who served more than 02 snack. know about him are they management supported people are union supported people.just ask him and try to know the cause for doing such type of incident. just ask with them either they did it by willingness or by any other reason. if the numbers of people is more then divide them into different shift/group/department so that they cannot mix with each other.
last i want to say in this case -
we have to make our own guy who can work as a management people
make your own network for information each activity of your factory.
don't afraid and power to face the problem.
From India, Rudarpur
as i read the incident i think its not a big issue but for any Union members or any other culprit who are not in favor of company this situation is very great to show his power or strength. but according to HR Manager it is the first need for HR guy to made his own network with the company people and try to make their own group who can stand against the union whenever its required. may be its a planned incident which was planned by the union members or any other guy. so in such type of the case we need to identify the people who served more than 02 snacks. secondly being as a HR manger any manager must be handled the situation personally. because its more effective to control the situation by a senior rather than a junior.
don't be aggressive because any strong action can be harmful to you and for company because as a HR guy you must think about each and every corner.
(02) being as a HR guy you must think that its a beginning of a problem and may be more problem can be raised in future. so try to close the matter at the moment and make a plan to control the such type of future activity.
identify the people who served more than 02 snack. know about him are they management supported people are union supported people.just ask him and try to know the cause for doing such type of incident. just ask with them either they did it by willingness or by any other reason. if the numbers of people is more then divide them into different shift/group/department so that they cannot mix with each other.
last i want to say in this case -
we have to make our own guy who can work as a management people
make your own network for information each activity of your factory.
don't afraid and power to face the problem.
From India, Rudarpur
It is really a mouthwatering problem.So tempting. No wonder Ashok got angry.One probable solution can be to ask the chef not to make samosas so tasty.Wait it is only in the lighter vein.Coming to the problem,This is an industrial relations problem. In my view the following approach can be of help.
1) Call the union and Ashok and explain that the canteen has made adequate number of samosas as per the norms and the shortage has been created by consuming more samosas than their quota by some workmen and that it is the workman that violated the norms but not management and hence the tool down strike is unjustified.
2)Mr. Ashok came late to the canteen. Had he come to canteen within the stipulated hours, he would have got samosas and thus MR.Ashok being late denied samosas to himself and the management cannot be held responsible for it. and hence the tool down strike is unjustified.
3)Explain the union that supplying samosas at any time cannot be a condition of service or term of employment and hence the union cannot resort to tool down strike over the issue.
4) In view of the above, the tool down strike is illegal and unjustified and shall be immediately called off.
5)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.
B.Saikumar
From India, Mumbai
1) Call the union and Ashok and explain that the canteen has made adequate number of samosas as per the norms and the shortage has been created by consuming more samosas than their quota by some workmen and that it is the workman that violated the norms but not management and hence the tool down strike is unjustified.
2)Mr. Ashok came late to the canteen. Had he come to canteen within the stipulated hours, he would have got samosas and thus MR.Ashok being late denied samosas to himself and the management cannot be held responsible for it. and hence the tool down strike is unjustified.
3)Explain the union that supplying samosas at any time cannot be a condition of service or term of employment and hence the union cannot resort to tool down strike over the issue.
4) In view of the above, the tool down strike is illegal and unjustified and shall be immediately called off.
5)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.
B.Saikumar
From India, Mumbai
Greetings Ashish,
In my opinion creating a row over serving samosas to a worker who has been loyal to the Management will mean destroying a vital link. Call up Ashok and tell him explicitly that the canteen officer will either arrange for a couple of samosas from outside or prepare 2 fresh samosas and serve him as soon as it is ready. Do not offer more than his entitlement just to please him as this will serve a wrong precedent. Also arguing that some workers consumed more than their quota will be futile as you may not have evidence for it. They may counter argue that lesser samosas were prepared and this was the reason for the shortage and you must have some process to verify before food is being served.
Giving this consideration to Ashok, will thwart the opponents move to drag Ashok to their side. Ashok will have a feeling that as he has supported the Management, the Management is returning his gratitude.
Having done this, the tools down strike will be withdrawn. Thereafter, call the union members and suggest or even insist that a canteen committee is 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.
One may wonder as to why should the Personnel Manager arrange for fresh Samosas/ buy Samosas instead of refusing to budge.
The Personnel Manager felt that the time taken to prepare two samosas will be about an hour, and if it is bought out it could be just half the time, but on the other hand the loss to the Management is quite huge.
Considering a work force of 80 people the loss of each hour will be equate to 80 precious manhours equivalent to 10 mandays (80/8 hours = 10 mandays). Added to this is loss of goodwill amongst the workmen, delay in delivery commitment to the customer (as there has already been a substantial delay caused due to the strike), cascading effect on the production flow. Possible sabotage to Tools and equipments by workers taking advantage of the already surcharged atmosphere. Remember work has commenced only on that day after three months of strike. Also consider the loss of manhours of top management people to sort out the issue.
Customers will also start losing confidence in the Management because on the very first day of restarting there has been a tools down strike and this message will affect the prospects of future business. Customers will be very keen to know the status of their orders and will be keenly watching the company and such a nasty turn will deter them from giving future orders.
If all these are added the notional loss to the Management will be much higher than the time taken to prepare a couple of samosas or even to buy it from outside.
Ego is not important when dealing with canteen issues but resolving it at the appropriate time.
It may appear to be a Win Lose situation for Workmen and Management but it is in fact a Win Win situation when we consider it from the overall perspective.
Once the canteen committee is in place, the members of the committee from the workmen side will be under tremendous pressure and will try to iron out issues without causing undue hindrance. They will ensure all workers get equitable share and will have the courage to deny workers their entitlement when they come late and start complaining.
However, it is important to define the scope and functioning of the Canteen committee as if they are vested with too much power also you may land up in a problem.
This is purely my view and may not be the only solution. I am sure that several learned members of this forum will share their expertise on this.
Regards
From India, Madras
In my opinion creating a row over serving samosas to a worker who has been loyal to the Management will mean destroying a vital link. Call up Ashok and tell him explicitly that the canteen officer will either arrange for a couple of samosas from outside or prepare 2 fresh samosas and serve him as soon as it is ready. Do not offer more than his entitlement just to please him as this will serve a wrong precedent. Also arguing that some workers consumed more than their quota will be futile as you may not have evidence for it. They may counter argue that lesser samosas were prepared and this was the reason for the shortage and you must have some process to verify before food is being served.
Giving this consideration to Ashok, will thwart the opponents move to drag Ashok to their side. Ashok will have a feeling that as he has supported the Management, the Management is returning his gratitude.
Having done this, the tools down strike will be withdrawn. Thereafter, call the union members and suggest or even insist that a canteen committee is 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.
One may wonder as to why should the Personnel Manager arrange for fresh Samosas/ buy Samosas instead of refusing to budge.
The Personnel Manager felt that the time taken to prepare two samosas will be about an hour, and if it is bought out it could be just half the time, but on the other hand the loss to the Management is quite huge.
Considering a work force of 80 people the loss of each hour will be equate to 80 precious manhours equivalent to 10 mandays (80/8 hours = 10 mandays). Added to this is loss of goodwill amongst the workmen, delay in delivery commitment to the customer (as there has already been a substantial delay caused due to the strike), cascading effect on the production flow. Possible sabotage to Tools and equipments by workers taking advantage of the already surcharged atmosphere. Remember work has commenced only on that day after three months of strike. Also consider the loss of manhours of top management people to sort out the issue.
Customers will also start losing confidence in the Management because on the very first day of restarting there has been a tools down strike and this message will affect the prospects of future business. Customers will be very keen to know the status of their orders and will be keenly watching the company and such a nasty turn will deter them from giving future orders.
If all these are added the notional loss to the Management will be much higher than the time taken to prepare a couple of samosas or even to buy it from outside.
Ego is not important when dealing with canteen issues but resolving it at the appropriate time.
It may appear to be a Win Lose situation for Workmen and Management but it is in fact a Win Win situation when we consider it from the overall perspective.
Once the canteen committee is in place, the members of the committee from the workmen side will be under tremendous pressure and will try to iron out issues without causing undue hindrance. They will ensure all workers get equitable share and will have the courage to deny workers their entitlement when they come late and start complaining.
However, it is important to define the scope and functioning of the Canteen committee as if they are vested with too much power also you may land up in a problem.
This is purely my view and may not be the only solution. I am sure that several learned members of this forum will share their expertise on this.
Regards
From India, Madras
Hi
I Agreed with all respected members opinion.
In this case , There is a simple solution without wasting much time, Mr Ashok should have provided with samosas by the canteen officer from outside, Instead making big issue and also looking into the his close relation to Management
From India, Mumbai
I Agreed with all respected members opinion.
In this case , There is a simple solution without wasting much time, Mr Ashok should have provided with samosas by the canteen officer from outside, Instead making big issue and also looking into the his close relation to Management
From India, Mumbai
Dear All,
I agree with Easwar.
The manager must have to take an action on the canteen officer & make him to arrange the same eatable thing from outside. Because the canteen officer could have prepare a proper distribution system. In the future a proper system is the only solution to avoid this kind of small issues in an organisation Or industrial atmosphiere....
Regards
Kingsly
From India
I agree with Easwar.
The manager must have to take an action on the canteen officer & make him to arrange the same eatable thing from outside. Because the canteen officer could have prepare a proper distribution system. In the future a proper system is the only solution to avoid this kind of small issues in an organisation Or industrial atmosphiere....
Regards
Kingsly
From India
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