Overview: Place yourself into the following scenario. You will take on the role of union president and use the facts presented in the scenario to make a plan of action in dealing with the ethical dilemmas. A union represents employees’ best interest in their employment by ensuring employees are treated fairly and lawfully by their employers. They represent employees in negotiations for pay and benefits and file grievances on behalf of employees who allege mistreatment due to violations of their collective bargaining agreements or violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

You hold a position of a patrol officer in your police department or a guard in a correctional facility, and you have recently been elected by your peers as union president. As the union president, you have a responsibility to your membership to represent their best interests regarding their employment. As an elected union president, you are a leader. You need to consider the employees’ best interest. The union has recently been advised by administration that due to budget cuts, layoffs are likely. Your membership is calling for a work slowdown if staffing cuts occur. 

A work slowdown is when a union informs its membership to only complete the minimum work necessary to meet their responsibilities. This allows them to complete the minimum work needed so they will not be subject to termination or other discipline for refusing to work. 

In a 1–2-page short paper, discuss the ethical dilemmas you face and identify what the best course of action is to take. Address the potential impact your decision will have on the employees of the organization as well as other stakeholders. Include the reasoning behind your decisions. Support your reasoning with the textbook or other research. 

This scenario analysis short paper will help you prepare for your final project because you are analyzing the ethical dilemmas and how to handle them in a leadership role, as you will need to do for your final project.