Abstract:
In this disguised case, the union representing maintenance, food service, and custodial workers at Eastern Tennessee University votes to go on strike after the administration, led by President Alan Carswell, refuses to make any further concessions to union demands. The case traces the genesis, progress, and final settlement of that strike. Part A provides background on the university, the union, and the labor movement in the area, where the United Mine Workers have been very active; details the specific issues contested by the union and administration response to its demands; and concludes as the union goes out on strike. Part B of the case follows the administration as it tries to keep the university open with no support staff; at the same time, Carswell must decide whether to accede to the university lawyer's suggestion that he take part in negotiations with the union. Part C briefly outlines the settlement of the strike. This case has been used to illustrate issues in labor relations and negotiations. It is designed to place students in the role of the university president as he faces a number of decisions, including: whether to continue operating the university when the strike--which has the potential for violence--begins, and under what conditions; and whether to become personally involved in the union talks.
