Q. Rakesh was working as a Joint Commissioner in Transport department of a city. As a part of his job profile, among others, he was entrusted with the task of overseeing the control and functioning of City Transport Department.
A case strike by drivers’ union of City Transport Department over the issue of compensation to a driver who died on duty while driving the bus came up before him for decision in the matter.
He gathered that the driver (deceased) was plying Bus No. 528 which passed through busy and congested roads of the city. It so happened that near an intersection on the way, there was an accident involving the a middle-aged man. It was found that there was altercation between the driver and the car driver. Heated arguments between them led to fight and the driver gave him a a blow. Lot of passerbys had gathered and tried to intervene but without success. Eventually, both of them were badly injured and profusely bleeding and were taken to the nearby hospital. The driver succumbed to the injuries and could not be saved. The middle-aged driver’s condition was also critical but after a day, he recovered and was discharged. Police had immediately come to the spot and FIR was registered. Police investigation revealed that the quarrel in was started by the bus driver and he had resorted to physical violence. There exchange of blows between them.
The City Transport Department management is considering of not giving any extra compensation to the driver’s (deceased) family. The family is very aggrieved. depressed and agitated against the discriminatory and non-sympathetic approach of the City Transport Department management. The bus driver (deceased) was 52 years of age, was survived by his wife and two school-college going daughters. He was the sole earner of the family. The City Transport Department workers’ union took up this case and when found no favourable response from the management, decided to go on strike. The union’s demand was two fold. First was full extra compensation as given to other drivers who died on duty and secondly employment to one family member. The strike has continued for 10 days and the deadlock remains.
(a) What are the options available to Rakesh to meet the above situation?
(b) Critically examine each of the options identified by Rakesh
(c) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rakesh?
(d) What course of action would Rakesh adopt to diffuse the above situation?
Question from UPSC Mains 2022 GS4 Paper
Model Answer:
(a) Options available to Rakesh to meet the above situation:
Grant full extra compensation and employment to one family member as demanded by the union.
Deny the demand for extra compensation and employment and risk prolonging the strike.
Find a middle ground by offering partial compensation or employment to one family member.
Investigate the matter further to determine the validity of the compensation claim and provide compensation accordingly.
(b) Critical examination of each of the options identified by Rakesh:
Grant full extra compensation and employment to one family member as demanded by the union: This option would involve meeting the demands of the union and providing compensation to the family of the deceased driver. However, it could set a precedent for other cases where compensation claims may not be genuine. Moreover, it could also lead to additional demands by the union in the future.
Deny the demand for extra compensation and employment and risk prolonging the strike: This option would involve taking a firm stand and denying the union’s demand for compensation and employment. However, it could lead to a prolonged strike, which could have negative consequences for the city’s transportation system and public convenience.
Find a middle ground by offering partial compensation or employment to one family member: This option would involve finding a compromise solution that partially meets the demands of the union and the family of the deceased driver. However, it could lead to dissatisfaction among both parties and may not fully resolve the issue.
Investigate the matter further to determine the validity of the compensation claim and provide compensation accordingly: This option would involve conducting a thorough investigation into the matter and verifying the validity of the compensation claim. If the claim is found to be genuine, compensation can be provided accordingly. This option would uphold the principles of fairness and justice.
(c) Ethical dilemmas being faced by Rakesh:
Rakesh is faced with the ethical dilemma of balancing the interests of the City Transport Department and the demands of the workers’ union while also ensuring fairness and justice for the family of the deceased driver. He also needs to consider the consequences of his actions on his career and personal safety.
(d) Course of action Rakesh would adopt to diffuse the above situation:
The most appropriate course of action for Rakesh would be to investigate the matter further to determine the validity of the compensation claim and provide compensation accordingly. This option would uphold the principles of fairness and justice while also ensuring that the interests of the City Transport Department and the workers’ union are balanced. It would also provide closure to the family of the deceased driver and diffuse the strike.
In addition, Rakesh could also initiate measures to prevent such incidents in the future by providing training to drivers on conflict resolution and adopting measures to ensure the safety and security of drivers and passengers.
Overall, Rakesh needs to uphold the principles of fairness, justice, and transparency while also ensuring that the interests of all stakeholders are balanced.