ISS: Managing a strike (B)

This case presents a complex labor dispute in the context of the subrogation of staff following a change in service provider. ISS takes on a new contract without full knowledge of the prior commitments the outgoing company had undertaken toward its employees. Just days before the service is due to start, a strike breaks out among workers who have been excluded from the subrogation process, including union representatives. The situation is further complicated by tensions between unions, pressure from the client (BigM), strategic decisions by ISS, and growing media visibility. This case study allows for an analysis of how a company can manage a labor crisis in real time while dealing with legal, ethical, operational, and human dilemmas.