Union Strikes at Perkins, Stafford - 2010

[Florence]

The workforce is a tool that is used to provide dividends for the shareholders.

It is, however, very easy to fall into the mindset that says you're lucky to have a job. One could just as easily say they are lucky to have you.

If you don't protect what you've got it gets taken away from you quicker. If you resist you can stall it or maybe even stop it, c'est la vie.

What Stafford has in the Perkins Engine Centre plant is an old product that has a shelf-life (has some marginal development opportunities). This Caterpillar understand only too well, knowing that a product that has already being professed doesn't warrant paying a skilled rate to assemble.

The Plan;

1) Call your shop floor workforce operators.
2) Butter them up by saying that they are the experts.
3) Make Continuous Improvement ideas an obligation for operators (no reward scheme in place).
4) Train all new starters to perform small aspects of engine building.
5) Don't issue new contracts that should become available through retirement, resignations or dismissals.
6) Aim for a high percentage of agency workers.
7) Freeze wage bill.
8) Let skilled workers leave due to diminishing wages.
9) Create non/semi skilled workforce (issue free coffee and cakes to keep happy ).
10) Reap the profits!

Caterpillar's Values in Action = People - Quality - Velocity - Cost, to be prioritised in this order.

Is it me or is PQVC just a romantic notion?

Sounds like the NHS to me.

 

[Withnail]

Except without the free coffee and cakes?

 

[Florence]

Chocolates from the punters always welcome.

 

[Walter]

No, Doug's STIP is nearer 35%, whilst the bonus employees below middle management level will be getting will be 12.25%. Still not to be sniffed at, and across the company that is a hell of a lot of money they are paying out.

thats the point, why cant doug take a 12.25% bonus? and do you think he will settle for a 4% rise over 3 years?

remember he doesn't own the company he just works there like the rest of us?

Are you telling me that if you were promoted past those around you, you wouldn't expect a bigger slice of the pie?

the strike is about fairness as said before. perkins peterbough are already enjoying their pay rise and will get the same bonus as us and the rest of the caterpillar workers worldwide but their bonus will be on their new salary rate so worth more than staffords all we want is what seems to on offer for others. we make a good profit at stafford so why not?

Interesting point, there must be a reason that Cat feels the Staffs branch aren't worth it. Any idea why? If a site making a loss gets a pay rise, but one making a profit doesn't, what does that say? To me it says Staffords days are numbered, because if the site was as viable as you say they'd fight to keep it. Only a complete 'tard would destroy their most profitable site, so is it really?

I thought Stafford and Peterborough were on different 'cycles', i.e. the pay deals are not in sync and take place at different times of the year... so expecting the same pay rise at the same time wouldn't be fair or realistic.

 

[tek-monkey]

I have no idea, its not been mentioned that I can see?

 

[Alan B'Stard]

I thought Stafford and Peterborough were on different 'cycles', i.e. the pay deals are not in sync and take place at different times of the year... so expecting the same pay rise at the same time wouldn't be fair or realistic.

Ah, so Peterborough get screwed next year then and not this?

 

[tek-monkey]

Depends, did they get screwed last year?

 

[supernova]

I thought Stafford and Peterborough were on different 'cycles', i.e. the pay deals are not in sync and take place at different times of the year

I believe that is true.

 

[supernova]

Depends, did they get screwed last year?

No-one got anything last year or the year before as I understand it.

 

[Milzy]

Hello guys. Interesting thread. I admire how they are standing up to their management. They have guts I'll give them that. I still think many people are far worse off. My son started at a firm who supplies Perkins & he says they've already let a few people go & the management are giving him 1 month for Perkins to pick back up or they'll have to let him go. How long do you think the strikes will be going to go on for? What are the real chances of Perkins giving in to the demands of the workers??

 

[Theorum]

Hello guys. Interesting thread. I admire how they are standing up to their management. They have guts I'll give them that.

Hi there Milzy, I'm sure the support will be appreciated

I still think many people are far worse off. My son started at a firm who supplies Perkins & he says they've already let a few people go & the management are giving him 1 month for Perkins to pick back up or they'll have to let him go.

Indeed there's always somebody worse off, like there's always somebody better off. I'm sorry to hear your son's plight, however this surprises me because production at perkins is increasing and the demand for parts has never been greater. Which supplier does he work for I may be able to advise you on what to expect.

How long do you think the strikes will be going to go on for? What are the real chances of Perkins giving in to the demands of the workers??

Not much I can say to this question (a bit like how longs a piece of string?). From the Union perspective management will have an opportunity shortly to improve there offer if they fail to take this chance then I'm sure the dispute will continue for some time to come. What one must realise is this dispute has being going on for some 5 months now and has only resulted in industrial action over the last 6 weeks, the unions mandate states a following 6 weeks of further action (this may change but only if management appease the majority of permanently contracted shop floor staff at the facility).

 

[Withnail]

how longs a piece of string?

Twice as long as from its middle to its end.

 

[Gramaisc]

how longs a piece of string?

Twice as long as from its middle to its end.

Quite interestingly, you need to beware of the black hole.

 

[John Marwood]

Perkins (formerly Dormans ) used to be owned by GEC and they ran the place into the ground (piss poor management) then sold the place to Borgman and Yates (former apprentices who own Broadcrown ) for £1. They sold the place several years later to Perkins and walked away with £12,500,000 each.
Poor management can kill a factory in no time. Thats the problem with British industry, we are brilliant inventors (especially the Scottish and English) but we really struggle to run our factories and workforce efficiently and fairly.
I see the Chinese are now suffering strikes in their factories so maybe once they become wealthy enough they will go down a similar path.

The Chinese are following the British down the slidey driveway to property ownership

With the newly prosperous workers only getting half of one per cent interest on their savings and inflation at 6 per cent they have bought vacant new build homes in their millions as an 'investment'

Bubble ¿ Burst¿ Deffo

¦

 

[Theorum]

Perkins (formerly Dormans ) used to be owned by GEC and they ran the place into the ground (piss poor management) then sold the place to Borgman and Yates (former apprentices who own Broadcrown ) for £1. They sold the place several years later to Perkins and walked away with £12,500,000 each.
Poor management can kill a factory in no time. Thats the problem with British industry, we are brilliant inventors (especially the Scottish and English) but we really struggle to run our factories and workforce efficiently and fairly.
I see the Chinese are now suffering strikes in their factories so maybe once they become wealthy enough they will go down a similar path.

The Chinese are following the British down the slidey driveway to property ownership

With the newly prosperous workers only getting half of one per cent interest on their savings and inflation at 6 per cent they have bought vacant new build homes in their millions as an 'investment'

Bubble ¿ Burst¿ Deffo

¦

The Chinese government would never usually tolerate this kind of behaviour but looking at this page you can see exactly why the government would want to step back.

India the new China!

 

[John Marwood]

Perkins (formerly Dormans ) used to be owned by GEC and they ran the place into the ground (piss poor management) then sold the place to Borgman and Yates (former apprentices who own Broadcrown ) for £1. They sold the place several years later to Perkins and walked away with £12,500,000 each.
Poor management can kill a factory in no time. Thats the problem with British industry, we are brilliant inventors (especially the Scottish and English) but we really struggle to run our factories and workforce efficiently and fairly.
I see the Chinese are now suffering strikes in their factories so maybe once they become wealthy enough they will go down a similar path.

The Chinese are following the British down the slidey driveway to property ownership

With the newly prosperous workers only getting half of one per cent interest on their savings and inflation at 6 per cent they have bought vacant new build homes in their millions as an 'investment'

Bubble ¿ Burst¿ Deffo

¦

The Chinese government would never usually tolerate this kind of behaviour but looking at this page you can see exactly why the government would want to step back.

India the new China!

Turkey the new Brazil

 

[Walter]

Hello guys. Interesting thread. I admire how they are standing up to their management. They have guts I'll give them that.

Hi there Milzy, I'm sure the support will be appreciated

I still think many people are far worse off. My son started at a firm who supplies Perkins & he says they've already let a few people go & the management are giving him 1 month for Perkins to pick back up or they'll have to let him go.

Indeed there's always somebody worse off, like there's always somebody better off. I'm sorry to hear your son's plight, however this surprises me because production at perkins is increasing and the demand for parts has never been greater. Which supplier does he work for I may be able to advise you on what to expect.

How long do you think the strikes will be going to go on for? What are the real chances of Perkins giving in to the demands of the workers??

Not much I can say to this question (a bit like how longs a piece of string?). From the Union perspective management will have an opportunity shortly to improve there offer if they fail to take this chance then I'm sure the dispute will continue for some time to come. What one must realise is this dispute has being going on for some 5 months now and has only resulted in industrial action over the last 6 weeks, the unions mandate states a following 6 weeks of further action (this may change but only if management appease the majority of permanently contracted shop floor staff at the facility).

Maybe the strikes are hitting local suppliers and therefore threatening jobs elsewhere...sounds like it.

 

[tek-monkey]

If production is increasing though suppliers should see more demand, not less? Of course if despite the strikes production still stays level or does indeed increase then the strikes are pretty useless?

 

[Theorum]

Perkins (formerly Dormans ) used to be owned by GEC and they ran the place into the ground (piss poor management) then sold the place to Borgman and Yates (former apprentices who own Broadcrown ) for £1. They sold the place several years later to Perkins and walked away with £12,500,000 each.
Poor management can kill a factory in no time. Thats the problem with British industry, we are brilliant inventors (especially the Scottish and English) but we really struggle to run our factories and workforce efficiently and fairly.
I see the Chinese are now suffering strikes in their factories so maybe once they become wealthy enough they will go down a similar path.

The Chinese are following the British down the slidey driveway to property ownership

With the newly prosperous workers only getting half of one per cent interest on their savings and inflation at 6 per cent they have bought vacant new build homes in their millions as an 'investment'

Bubble ¿ Burst¿ Deffo

¦

The Chinese government would never usually tolerate this kind of behaviour but looking at this page you can see exactly why the government would want to step back.

India the new China!

Sorry thought I'd linked it to a page but can't find page now, oh well!

 

[Milzy]

Hello guys I know of somebody who's been sent down on agency to Perkins & he's getting 1.5k for 2 weeks plus all his mileage.
If an agency didn't offer me a contract within a year I'd be pissed off but just leave. Them that have been there 4 years are either happy with the situation or just fools.