MBO Steel is a successful steel manufacturer that has been operating in western Canada for $22$ years. It employs $325$ staff, including $250$ skilled technicians who work in the plant production facility. The workplace is unionized$$the employees are represented by ACME Local #$17.$

Management and the union have a very good working relationship, and staff morale is generally high and considered above average in the industry.

MBO Steel operates on a two$-$shift cycle. The first shift is $7$ a$.$m$.$ to $3$ p$.$m$.,$ Monday to Friday $(5$ days $\backslash$times $8$ hours$)$ and the second shift is $3$ p$.$m$.$ to $1$ a$.$m$.$ Monday to Thursday $(4$ days $\backslash$times $10$ hours$).$ Due to an increased demand for steel products, the company has negotiated a third shift with the union that will commence next month. The third shift works $7$ a$.$m$.$ to $7$ p$.$m$.$ on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday $(3$ days $\backslash$times $12$ hours$).$

Management and the union agreed that all skilled technicians will be required to rotate on the three shifts, meaning that most employees will be required to work on Saturdays and Sundays for the first time in the company$$s $22-$year history.

As the human resources business partner assigned to support the production facility, you have been actively involved with management and the union in developing and introducing this third shift. You have led or participated in several information sessions with employees and feel that MBO has done an excellent job in preparing employees for this change in their work schedule.

One week before the new shift is scheduled to start, you receive letters from three employees regarding requests for an accommodation or exemption from the new shift arrangement. The first letter is from Miguel who says that he is not able to work on the weekend shift due to another part$-$time job as a heavy$-$duty mechanic that he has had for the past two years. The second letter comes from Diane who claims that she is not able to work on Sundays due to religious reasons. The third letter is from Carl, a divorced parent who says he has custody of his daughter every weekend and is not willing to work those days.

After reviewing the letters, you book a meeting with Jim, the plant manager to discuss how these requests will impact production. Jim is emphatic that Miguel, Diane, and Carl are very valuable and skilled employees, but it is critical that they remain in the weekend rotation in order to meet production targets. He is not willing to accommodate any of their requests and recognizes that this may result in one or more of them having to leave the organization. While not ideal, he feels that this is preferable to making accommodations for any exceptions to the shift rotation.

Feeling somewhat dejected, you return to your office, close the door, and think carefully about your next course of action.