OUT OF (their) CONTROL

 I would like share some thoughts on our GM management located here in St. Catharines. It has been evident to me over the years that our management has gradually lost any meaningful control they may have had at our facilities.

In a small business, the management and owners have a great deal of control over their processes, behavior and major decisions. A small business with one location has all the players under one roof. As a company grows it may be necessary to expand and put people in place at other locations. This sister location is subordinate to the mother site and the second location gives up some decision making power.

Then there are those companies near the top of the food chain who are located in numerous countries and who are involved in multiple products and services. I don’t need to tell you GM is one of these businesses.  Previous to starting at GM, I had thirteen years in construction with many companies in Niagara. In most instances people in command could make decisions. In numerous cases, it was owners or managers who had the power to decide.

Something that has become painfully obvious to us in our plants is the lack of managers who have any real power to make any meaningful decisions. We have managers from the lines to plant managers who cannot make some of the simplest decisions on their own. It’s not that they can’t shake their heads to say yes or no. They are not allowed to make any real decisions unless Detroit tells them that they can.

If our managers can’t take care of their own plants, and the people in it, we have a problem. As a group of unemployed trades we depend on our union leaders to stand in our stead, and fight for our return. The problem is that no matter how ingenious or hard working our leaders are, they are dealing with managers who cannot make a decision, won’t make a decision or their decisions are thwarted by Oshawa or Detroit. It must be like trying to broker a deal with a television. There is lots of action and the viewing is great but the reality is that there is no one there who can help.

Our union leadership has a real task ahead of them. It has become very obvious that our leaders have dealt in good faith with managers who are nothing more than cardboard cutout trying to preserve their imagined kingdoms until they can move on. I saw a video once showing Roger of “Roger and Me” fame, talking to GM plant managers from around the world, at a luncheon. There were literally thousands of them in attendance. If that doesn’t put a perspective on things I don’t know what will. They are just a number also. They have no real power to control their destiny.

There was a time when our upper managers would be walking through our departments and they would talk to us and they were respected. We also had respect for the different levels of management who came up through the ranks. Lots of people would strive for their turn at bat. Now the respect is gone. Managers are all pencil pushing bean counters with an education and little life experience. They are being replaced so fast that we don’t even get to meet them.

Our managers need to give their heads a shake. Their power is very limited. They need to realize that they are no more or less than the rest of us. The most appropriate action they can take is to cooperate with our leaders. Respect and look after the people in the plant who are the only ones who can help them look good and keep their jobs. Hurting people on a daily basis and not concerning themselves with our welfare will prove detrimental to their long-term health. Most managers’ feel that our heads are just stepping stones to climb the corporate ladder. Cooking the books to make the numbers look good is a short-term resolve. Management’s best hope for a bright long-term future is to treat us respectfully. In return we will respect them and care about our products and our plants.

Our managers need to realize that their managers may never treat them respectfully. If our managers start to treat us properly they will always have an ally ready to give a full measure. We produce good products in a timely manner and will do even better in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Laying us off every chance the get will not garner loyalty.

Our managers had spent two years preparing for the new gear set that was coming. It was to go into our west plant and the physical work was about to start. This would serve to save this dying plant. Deals were struck between management and our union to move some jobs to make room for a brighter future. At the last minute Detroit decided all bets were off and the gear set would go into the Glendale site. It was a shock to everyone including our top managers.

What control did they have over this major decision?  What control do they have in our plants today? You decide.