-Abhishek Soni -Abhishek Tewari -Priya Arora

Vinod , T.No 11823 is working as a carpenter for last 6 years in an engineering concern employing about 2200 employees. The wages are distributed on 9th every month in this concern. Vinod was on privilege leave from 5th to 12th December 1983. He reported on duty in second shift at 3:00 pm on Saturday , the 13th December 1983. Saturday being the day for payment of wages unpaid on the wage payment day. Vinod went to the cash counter to collect his wages. The cashier after asking Vinod his ticket number searched the wage packet and found that the wage packet was already issued. The cashier told Vinod that he was already paid his wages

Vinod , surprised immediately , replied the cashier that he has yet to collect his wages and that was why he had come. On this, the cashier showed Vinod the wage payment slip bearing a signature, which according to the cashier was that of Vinods. After some time, the cashier asked for identity card from Vinod to check the veracity of the signature. Vinod said he had lost it, but he added that the signature on the payment slip was not his. Vinod approached the human resource officer with a grievance that he was getting the wages to which he his legitimately entitled. Sopan and Mahadu , union representatives , accompanied Vinod to the HR officer. The HR officer has briefed this fact to you since you are HR manager, for advice.

 Vinod is an employee(carpenter) in an Engineering

Industry. Because he was on "privilege leave" from 5 to 12 Dec 1983,Vinod couldn't collect his wages, which are distributed on the 9th of every month & instead ,went to collect them on 13th Dec 1983(Sat),Sat being the day of payment of unpaid wages. Vinod's wage has already been issued to someone other an him on 9th Dec '83. Veracity of signature is neglected on behalf of Vinod & can't be ascertained on behalf of the organization ,as the means to verify his signature(I-card) is lost. The issue snowballs into a trade union issue, since Vinod is a member of it.

1) Vinod working for the last 6 years. 2) Wages are paid on 9th of every month. 3) Unpaid wages paid on Saturday. 4) Vinod was on leave from 5th to 12th December 5) He came back on 13th (Saturday) and went to collect his unpaid wages. 6) Cashier proclaimed that the wage packet has already been issued 7) Vinod argues that he has not collected it yet. 8) Cashier shows wage payment slip bearing his signature.

9) Cashier asks for identity card to tally his signature , to which Vinod replies that he has lost it. 10)Vinod , along with union representatives files a grievance with the HR officer.

Main Problems
Identification of the person who has taken Vinods wages. 2. Investigation pertaining to Vinods involvement in the entire episode.
1.

Question 1: As to how the human resource officer should defuse the tension since the union is involved

Contact the Labor Welfare Officer and discuss the matter with him and the union representatives to settle the matter internally
If conclusion cannot be reached by talking to the labor welfare officer or internal means settle the matter through Arbitration. This neutral third party will listen to the disputing parties , gather information and take a decision which is binding on both the parties. The Arbitrator must be appointed with great care so that union or the management are convinced of his un biasness while taking a decision

Question 2: What course of action, the HR officer should initiate to get the truth with special regard to: a) Image of the Organization.

The investigation should be carried in a manner which as far as possible is limited to the organization.
The issue must be dismissed quickly and

peacefully so that the image of the company is not put at stake.

b) Impact of decision on fellow workers.

Usage of voluntary arbitration among both the

parties involved(workers union v/s general management)

The issue must not create panic among the

workers.

c) Other aspects of security , procedures and policies to be formulated

Steps should be taken so that incidents like

these dont occur in the future.

Security measures must be taken to ensure that

wages of one person are not issued to others by fake signatures.

Negligence should not be there on the part of

the management, else the workers might deliberately resort to unfair measures to get double wages

Question 3: As to how the investigation, if any , to be conducted? Contact the cashier and seek details he could remember , if any, about payment of wages on 9th December. Contact other supervisors and officers to investigate if they saw Vinod on the wage payment day coming to collect his wages.

Search for relevant documents to find his signature and tally it with that on the wage payment slip.
The investigation should be conducted in a manner in which the workers are not offended , as it may lead to more severe situations like strikes and gheraos.

Question 4: How to avoid recurrence of the incidence in future?

Following points the management must keep in mind to avoid events like this in the future: 1) No entry in the organization without the identity card. 2) Fine for not carrying the I-card or not procuring a duplicate I-card in case it is lost. 3) No payment of wages by the cashier if identity card not shown to him and the photo on it tallied with the person. 4) Installation of cctv cameras at the wage counter as the number of employees is very large and cashier cant remember all of them. 1) Use of digital signatures while collecting the wages. 2) A list to be submitted to the cashier about the employees who are on leave on the wage collection day i.e. 9th of every month