Question

Carolyn Foster had just returned to her office from the weekly plant IR representatives’ meeting. Her secretary had left a note to call George Lowrey, the superintendent of the forklift assembly operation. She called back and immediately recognized from the serious- ness of George’s tone that a major problem must be brewing in his area. They both agreed she would come right over. After George had welcomed her into his office, he leaned forward and, putting his chin in his hands, said, “Carolyn, I feel like I’m sit- ting on a powder keg here. Last year we put in the new Simplex Process assembly line for our forklifts. It had a rated capacity of 35 units an hour. When we installed it, we started up at 28 units, which is the same as the old line, to shake it down and get the bugs out. The new line automates more of the assembly, so each worker has less of a physical demand than before. Well, last week we figured we had all the bugs ironed out, so we raised the speed to 35. We figure each worker has to put out about the same amount of effort as under the old system. “This morning, Steve Bonneville, the shop steward, and three of my general supervi- sors came in, all arguing. Bonneville had a fistful of grievances and was yelling about a ‘speedup.’ Anyway, the upshot is that he wants the employees to be advanced one skill level to compensate for the additional effort and more difficult working conditions under Section 7.03 of the contract. “Carolyn, we can’t give them a penny more and remain competitive. Besides that, if they get a raise, the whole plant will paper us with classification grievances. Bonneville is running for union president because Matt Duff is retiring, and if he’s successful with this grievance, he’s a shoo-in. All we need is a long strike over some penny-ante issue and a bunch of hotheads like him running the show. What can you do to help me?” Carolyn had been busy taking notes about the problem. She asked, “Do you have the grievances?” George nodded and handed them to her. Then she said, “I’ll study the grievances, the contract, and the union situ- ation and get back to you in time for us to plan a step 3 response. I’ll be back to you this afternoon.” DIRECTIONS 1. Draft a strategy for the company to fol- low. Consider the immediate problem and the possibilities of precedents being set by your action. List the advantages and disad- vantages of your chosen strategy. 2. Prepare a scenario in which your response is presented to Steve Bonneville. How is he likely to react? What steps do you expect he will take as a result of your response? 3. What conditions do you consider neces- sary for these grievances to be resolvable at step 3?

Answer 1

Carolyn froster went to the industrial research for the representative meeting and her secretary didn't notice the george lowery..george lowery is the superindent of the forklift assembly operation.and she analyzed the george voice..there was a major problem happening brewing in the industrial area.after the george welcomed her into his office and he said to the carolyn iam sitting like a powder keg here that means i have been facing the more problems here.last year they were planned to new simplex process assembly line for forklifts.when we installed the forklifts we started up at 28 units and it were shake it out and bugs out due to the overload..and the efforts is improved to the 35 units rated capacity an hour.the new line automatically have a lot of specification and the employees physical work has less compare to the work as 28 units. its been a improvement of the technical improvement and the last week they had faced the bugs were ironed out and it up to the 35 units.the same amount of work is also consider to the old line.and the new line were improved to the speed of 35 units

Steve Bonneville is a shop steward and the three general supervisors were arguing and the bonneville had a lot of grievances about the speed up of the units and he is expecting one thing that employees should be ready to work as advanced level skill to show the work attitude and the carolyn said to him we cant give more salary to the employees we have to balance the our position when the matt duff is retiring and the bonneville entering into the union president and the carolyn taking the complaints and if he is taking a successful grievances and he will show the power to all of them and carolyn asked do you have the grievances ?

george replied and he is showing the agreement of the grievances and then carolyn study about the grievances and she will take the action and analyzes the union situation and everything.

1.the company should follow the proper planning when there was no proper planning finally it will comes and to face the many problems..when the technology created by the human and we should respect the human effort to the work and we will give more remuneration to the employees.equipment and technological things in necessary to all field but it was created by the human.

advantages is the technolgical work has been improved more and it can be solve by the employees.and the steve bonneville is looking as the employees should be improve their skills and knowledge than technology..

disadvantages: carolyn was demotivating the employees and unable to provide the more salary to the employees and they should respect all employees as equity.

2.steve bonneville is creating the employees power to comparing the technical works and he is representing the union president.he is working hard for the union president position and he gave respect to the employees well

3.carolyn will take the grievances because the company was facing some major problems due to the technical problems. and she will provide more salary to the employees and it is the way to achieve the organizational orientation goal.