Case Analysis: Bud Thornton’s Brush with Death
I. Statement of the Problem:
How does the treatment of the management towards its workers affect their relationship and performance? What should be done to eliminate the existing conflict?
II. Objectives:
• To be able to identify the negative effects of the management’s treatment to their workers;
• To be able to recommend solution that will help eliminate the existing conflict between management and workforce.
III. Areas of Consideration:
• PLC, the Company
1. Provider of source of income; 40% of the total population is the workforce.
2. Provision of “PLC Employee Privilege” card that no other store can match.
3. The image of the company as powerful, influential in the lives of the people in and outside the plant.
4. Manager’s Authoritarian behavior.
5. Supervision’s harsh and unjust treatment construed as exploitative.
6. Unpleasant work and dangerous working conditions.
• The Employees and the Union
1. Employees fear of losing their jobs; and their discount privileges which help them with their basic needs.
2. There were no other employment opportunities in town.
3. Blue-collar workers felt powerless and “locked”
4. Funds of the Union could only provide up to 2 weeks strike.
5. If strike will last more than 2 weeks, some families would be forced to move to another city in search of employment.
IV. Alternative Courses of Action:
1. The workers, through the members of the Union, should initiate an all-out strike so that the management will be able to hear their grievances and eventually make the necessary changes. This will require the total cooperation of the whole workforce so that their voices will be heard.
2. The company will replace the existing problematic workers with workers who do not reside in the area. Through this, they’ll be able to orient the new workers with the existing practices they have and eventually be able to level off.
3. The management and the workers to have a dialogue wherein they will discuss their
How does the treatment of the management towards its workers affect their relationship and performance? What should be done to eliminate the existing conflict?
II. Objectives:
• To be able to identify the negative effects of the management’s treatment to their workers;
• To be able to recommend solution that will help eliminate the existing conflict between management and workforce.
III. Areas of Consideration:
• PLC, the Company
1. Provider of source of income; 40% of the total population is the workforce.
2. Provision of “PLC Employee Privilege” card that no other store can match.
3. The image of the company as powerful, influential in the lives of the people in and outside the plant.
4. Manager’s Authoritarian behavior.
5. Supervision’s harsh and unjust treatment construed as exploitative.
6. Unpleasant work and dangerous working conditions.
• The Employees and the Union
1. Employees fear of losing their jobs; and their discount privileges which help them with their basic needs.
2. There were no other employment opportunities in town.
3. Blue-collar workers felt powerless and “locked”
4. Funds of the Union could only provide up to 2 weeks strike.
5. If strike will last more than 2 weeks, some families would be forced to move to another city in search of employment.
IV. Alternative Courses of Action:
1. The workers, through the members of the Union, should initiate an all-out strike so that the management will be able to hear their grievances and eventually make the necessary changes. This will require the total cooperation of the whole workforce so that their voices will be heard.
2. The company will replace the existing problematic workers with workers who do not reside in the area. Through this, they’ll be able to orient the new workers with the existing practices they have and eventually be able to level off.
3. The management and the workers to have a dialogue wherein they will discuss their