Chief Minister

Chief Minister  CAST STUDY  solution

Read the case given below and answer the questions given at the end.

 In one state, the Chief Minister was invited to the annual conference of a union where union elections were also scheduled. The Chief Minister inaugurated the conference and observed as follows : "I propose that you elect Mr. XYZ as your president and the president in turn elect his team." Before the members could understand the significance of what the Chief Minister had said there was a big round of applause from the audience - presumably orchestrated by supporters of the Chief Minister's nominee for presidentship of the union. Before anyone could say anything, quite a few queued up and began to garland Mr. XYZ. Mr. XYZ then rose and announced the names of his nominees. The elections concluded. Those who were elected were happy about the smooth and cordial manner in which the elections had been held. Referring to two cases in the recent past in neighbouring factories, they said, in one the rival unions spent a lot of money in elections. From where had the money come. Would the ones who had spent so much money not want to recover it in one form or another ? Another elected person  was talking about how management manipulated the elections to have a 'company' union. Some of the people who had aspired to contest were dismayed but could not do much because of the atmosphere in which the whole thing had happened.

 Questions :

(a) Comment on the case and the divergent view points/perceptions of those who won the elections without contesting and those who wanted to contest but could not.

(b) Discuss the problem of trade union democracy.

 (c) What suggestions do you have to make trade unions truly for the members, of the members, and by the members ?

 (d) What role, if any, should management have in the manner in which unions are administered ? Is there a justification for managements to intervene in the internal matters of unions on the grounds that the internal dynamics of unions affect the functioning of the company wherein the unions operate.