Omar Industries LLC is a mechanical engineering establishment situated in Rusail, Muscat. It has 1500 workmen employed in first shift between 8 am – 4 pm. This is a major shift and known as general shift. The workmen of Omar Industries report for work from distance places which are miles away from the place of work. The workers travel by buses and some travel by cars. A small number staying in surrounding areas of the factory, report for duty on foot.
On 5 June 2007, there was a very heavy rain due to cyclone Gonu. Vast areas were submerged under water. As a result of the heavy rains, buses and cars could not run on the roads. A few timekeepers who somehow managed to attend the work. It was found that out of the total workforce, 400 attended in time, 260 attended two hours late, 480 attended four hours late and the remaining 360 did not attend.
As was obvious, neither the management nor the workmen was responsible for the aforesaid happening and the trade union, operating in the establishment requested the management to deal sympathetically with the employees. They requested that since it was beyond the control of workmen, even those who could not attend should not be marked absent.
As will be seen from the case, 400 employees worked for the whole day, 260 worked for six hours, 480 worked for four hours only and 360 did not report for duty at all. The issue was how to adjust the wages for the day.
The General Manager called a meeting of the managers to discuss the issue. It was found that a good number of managers who stayed in long distance suburbs or were staying in remote areas also could not attend to work. Some of the managers who participated in the meeting, opined that ‘no-work-no-pay’ should be the only principle and at best the only thing that the management should do is not to take any disciplinary action as such. Others expressed different views and there was no consensus in the meeting. The General Manager adjourned the meeting without coming to any decision.

Relation between the management and the three unions operating in the company were generally satisfactory. Only one of the three unions that had mainly white-collar staff as members had a legalistic approach in all matters and was not easily satisfied.
1.How can this issue be sorted out?