The senior officers of the oriental bank are in dispute with their junior staff. This problem has existed for the past two weeks. More so, I am faced with a situation that threatens my career. I was recently promoted to the personnel department in the bank as at the same time I am the overall representative of the banks’ employees countrywide. I have been involved in settling disputes between the management and the staff, but by then I was a junior employee. My current designation requires me to carry out my duties and responsibilities as laid down. On the other side, the union expects me to use my newly acquired status in pushing for their agenda in the organization. The management recently sent a communiqué to all departmental heads to advise their junior staff that to achieve high performance by the bank, the employees shall be subjected to an aptitude test on a quarterly basis. The junior employees are viewing this as a move by the management to reduce the labor force by dismissing the employees who fails the test.

I as an officer in the personnel management department, I am supposed to ensure the implementation of the directive to the later but if I carry it out ,I will be betraying my fellow union members who elected me to lead them in such circumstances. I was chosen because of the core values that I have stood for in the past has ended up assisting the company and the employees eventually. I am mandated with the preparation and the coordination of the test. If I decide to implement it without listening to their grievances, I will be betraying my core values that I am associated with and defined by. If I can not implement the directive, I will also be betraying my professional ethics and code of conduct. I am determined to come up with a solution that is satisfying to both parties. As an employee of the bank, the interests of the bank are to be taken as a first priority without compromising the integrity and honesty of other employees.

I am particularly afraid of the fact that as a leader there is something to be done without causing damages to either party. I am afraid of not doing anything to represent the interests of my fellow union members. That is not what I believe and stand for. In the union I am known for presenting ideas that are counterproductive to the company and the employees. I believe in solving any problem or crisis by meaningful and honest engagement of the parties involved. I am entrusted to offer a solution by coming up with a workable proposal in the stalemate where the staff has threatened to take an industrial action against the management.

I have in the meantime managed to talk to individuals from the union over the issue and I am convinced that in the end reason will prevail upon them. We are making progress in that they have accepted to give dialogue a chance though with conditions that they should be meaningful and honest. I have also managed to brief my senior, who is the personnel manager and head of the personnel department. If I could have an extra courage of just two percent, I would have already scheduled the date for the crucial meeting to iron out the differences.

The dispute is between the management and junior employees. They are related in that the services of the bank shall be adversely affected if a lasting solution is not reached at soonest. This is my sixth month in my new designation. Other employees in the department viewed my promotion with mixed reactions. Some were appreciative while others were skeptical of the appointment but given the trust and loyalty that I have shown to my fellow workmates, I had no doubt in overcoming the task. I felt I was up to the task and felt energized from the response I was receiving from the concerned parties. It may appear to anyone in the company that whatever I am doing in out of my limit, but I will not relent unless I overstep my mandate. Definitely the course I am pursuing is dangerous if not handled in a cautious manner. It is very delicate and can lead dismissal but I am not afraid as long as I follow the right channel and address the issue at hand with courage.