Question

CASE Chang was employed as a Material handler at a large manufacturing plant. The employees at the plant were represented by the Manufacturing Employees Union, and worked under a collective agreement. One evening after work, Chang went to a local bar to watch a soccer game on a large screen TV. During the course of the game, Chang and Zak, his work supervisor, who was also at the bar, became involved in a heated discussion over the game. Eventually, the supervisor called Chang ‘an idiot’. Chang responded to the remark with a right hook to the supervisor’s jaw, knocking the supervisor down. Bar employees stopped the fight immediately, and both Chang and Zak were escorted out of the bar. At work the next day, Zak said nothing to Chang about their previous night’s dispute. However, he ordered Chang to clean a large chemical storage tank, a task usually done only by a crew of two workers wearing protective gear due to the danger associated with chemical fumes generated by the cleaning process. Chang was not prepared to do so without a second employee to assist him, and when his request for assistance was refused by the supervisor, Chang refused to do the work. He was suspended for the rest of the day by the supervisor for his refusal to obey the order. When Chang returned to work the next day, he met with his union representative, and complained about his suspension.

Question : Identify and outline the process that would follow to resolve this complaint. What arguments might be raised by each side, and what might be the outcome?

Answer 1

Collective agreement or Collective Labour Agreement is a Commercial agreement between Union and an Employer. This includes hours, wages, rules, benefits and other terms and conditions for an employee at their workplace.

Process:

• Employee will file a written complaint with explanation and circumstances about the issue or incident to the Union representative.
• The union representative will discuss this matter with the head of that department and management will take a appropriate action to resolve this issue.
• The appeal of the union then refered to review panel team where the team members will talk to the both of employees to reach to a solution.

The arguments that must be raised from the Chang are as follows:

• Zak was abusing chang at the local bar and told him to do the task that is not under his key responsibilities.
• Zak was harrasing him by forcing him to the job out of his cabability area.
• On chang refused to do the assigned job, Zak did unethical behavior with him and suspend him from the job without any valid reason.

Zak should not have any arguments according to me because it was his mistake and unethical behaviour with the employee at workplace.